Ansu Fati is planning to report for Barcelona pre-season a week earlier than planned in an attempt to get a head-start on his return to fitness.
The 19-year-old has endured two years of injury hell, with several hamstring and knee injuries keeping him sidelined, but he did make a comeback towards the end of last season as he featured off the bench in Barcelona’s last five games of the season.
He was then called up to the Spain squad this summer but did not play a minute, leaving Fati still looking for regular action to get himself back to full fitness.
According to AS, his international involvement saw him granted permission to return to pre-season training on July 11, seven days after the rest of his team-mates, but the teenager has rejected the offer of an extended holiday.
Instead, Fati wants to report for training at the same time as everyone else to ensure he is not left behind once again.
It is understood that Fati is still feeling some discomfort from his previous injuries and the reason he has not started a game since being cleared by doctors is because club officials are scared of aggravating his medical issues.
He appreciates there is still a lot of work to do to get him back to his best and Fati does not want to waste anymore time as he looks to add to a frustrating tally of just 20 La Liga starts across his three seasons with the senior side.
Fati is seen as a key part of both Barcelona’s present and future by current boss Xavi, who has been impressed with the teenager’s willingness to get to work earlier than planned.
