Besiktas president Adali: 'Ansu Fati didn't join us after Europa League elimination'
Ansu Fati was on the brink of leaving Barcelona for Turkish club Besiktas during the winter transfer window, according to the club's president, Serdar Adali. With Fati struggling for regular playing time at Barcelona this season, it seemed increasingly likely that he would be sold, particularly after a challenging year at Camp Nou.
Adali spoke about the near transfer, saying: “Fati was part of our plans, along with Patrick Berg and Samuel Dahl. After the Europa League match against Twente, we were eager to bring Fati to Istanbul. We had even reached an agreement with Barcelona for his transfer, but following our elimination from the tournament, we were told he wouldn't be joining us.
"The player was very excited about the move, and even his father had been contacted. Unfortunately, our European exit spoiled everything.”
Besiktas were knocked out of the Europa League on January 30 after a 1-0 defeat to Twente, finishing 28th in the group and failing to qualify for the playoffs. This result ultimately halted their pursuit of Fati, as they were unable to offer him the European competition he had hoped for. The decision was delayed until the end of January, but the club's failure to progress in the tournament ended the possibility of the transfer.
