Ansu Fati dismissed suggestions that inheriting Lionel Messi’s number 10 shirt at Barcelona has brought additional expectations after committing his long-term future to the Catalan club.
Fati signed a new six-year contract to keep him at the club until 2027, with a release clause of €1billion included – a week after Pedri had penned a similar extension with the Blaugrana.
The 18-year-old inherited the number 10 shirt after the departure of Barça great Messi, who left on a free transfer for Paris Saint-Germain amid salary cap issues with LaLiga in August.
However, Fati insisted that no pressure comes with the famous shirt as he expressed his desire to succeed with his boyhood club after coming up through the La Masia academy.
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“My dream has always been to succeed here and continue growing here, luckily I will continue to do so,” Fati told reporters on Thursday. “I’m going to work every day to improve as a person and as a player. I have not done anything yet, I must continue working, mark my path.
“I am very grateful to the club for having trusted me, along with the captains. It could have been worn by another player, but I’m grateful.
“I was ready because they are at Barça and at Barça you must be prepared for everything. Wearing the ’10’ is not a pressure, it is one more motivation, I will do the best I can.”
