Hansi Flick has a major decision to make concerning 22-year-old Barcelona forward | OneFootball

As we head into the business end of the 2024/25 season Hansi Flick faces a major decision regarding Ansu Fati’s future at Barcelona.

After failing to secure a transfer to Turkey before the winter transfer window closed in the country earlier this week, the 22-year-old forward will now remain at the club until the end of the season.

The key question, though, is whether Flick will reintegrate him into the squad for upcoming fixtures, starting with Monday’s match against Rayo Vallecano, or continue to exclude him from matchday squads.

Fati’s disappointing plight

So far, Fati has been the only player repeatedly left out of Flick’s squad due to technical decisions – a common occurrence since January.

Indeed, 2025 has been challenging for Fati, who has been omitted from six squad lists. His absence began in the Spanish Super Cup, where he travelled to Saudi Arabia with the squad but was left out for both the semi-final and final.

The La Masia gem was also not selected for the Copa del Rey Round of 16 clash against Real Betis or the La Liga fixture at Getafe.

What next for Ansu? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

While the coach did bring him into the roster for a couple of games when Dani Olmo was injured, the La Masia went back to being omitted for two matches this month, raising concerns about his role in the team.

So far in 2025, Fati has played just 29 minutes in the Copa del Rey tie against Barbastro. If his situation does not change, he is on course for his least impactful season yet.

Fati’s determination to stay

Given the situation, Fati was encouraged to leave Barcelona during the winter transfer window by the club, coaching staff, and his entourage.

The Spanish international had interest from some teams in La Liga while FC Porto were also keen. More recently, Turkish clubs, including Besiktas, showed some interest.

But Fati was firm in his decision to stay at Barcelona despite the fact that he has only played eight times across all competitions this season, without scoring or assisting a goal.

Flick has made it clear through both private discussions and his squad selections that he does not count on the forward. Even so, he has urged the player to continue working hard in hopes of earning an opportunity.

Now that the transfer window has closed, Flick must decide whether to continue leaving Fati out of his plans or allow him to rejoin the matchday squad.