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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Mark Jones

Barcelona's Ansu Fati 'ditches Lionel Messi's brother as agent' to join up with Jorge Mendes

Barcelona's teenage sensation Ansu Fati has reportedly appointed Jorge Mendes as his new agent.

The 17-year-old had been represented by Rodrigo Messi, the brother of Barca captain Lionel, but he has now linked up with super-agent Mendes according to Mundo Deportivo.

Mendes is the long-term representative of Cristiano Ronaldo, and is renowned in the game for driving a hard bargain for his players as well as getting involved in several transfer sagas.

His Gestifute agency already has one player in the current Barca squad in the full-back Nelson Semedo, while they represent several big names across Europe such as Manchester City trio Ederson, Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva, Liverpool midfield enforcer Fabinho and of course Ronaldo.

Ansu Fati has had a fine breakthrough season (AFP/Getty Images)

Fati has a contract at Barca until 2022, but is expected to be given the full first-team treatment this summer following a breakout season which has seen him score eight goals in 33 appearances.

The Guinea-Bissau born winger has picked up two caps for Spain under-21s, while the report adds that the switch of agent is being overseen by his father as the teenager changes representatives for the third time in his career.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Fati, but Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu maintained that he is not for sale at a press conference on Tuesday, when he confirmed that Ronald Koeman would be taking over as the club's new manager.

Fati had been represented by Messi's brother (Alejandro Garcia/EPA-EFE/REX)

"We have had (offers) for Ansu Fati, for example," said Bartomeu when discussing the squad.

"But Barca does not want to sell players, although we receive several offers for players.

"We don't want to sell him. He has a great future. I'm telling you from here, he's non-transferable."

Is Ansu Fati a star of the future? Have your say in the comments below

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