MANCHESTER UNITED fans have slammed the “peak insanity” from the Glazers after learning about their failed bid for a Barcelona flop.
The controversial owners made a £83.5million offer to the LaLiga giants for Ansu Fati in 2020 – when the winger was just 17 years old.
Manchester United’s £83million bid for Ansu Fati was rejected in 2020
The forward failed to make his mark while on loan at Brighton
The Glazer family has repeatedly come under fire for their failed recruitment plans
While Fati was coming through the ranks and had burst onto the scene in Spain at the time, nothing warranted that price tag.
In his 2019-20 debut season, then 16-year-old Fati became Barca’s youngest goalscorer — a record since taken by Lamine Yamal.
He subsequently finished second in the 2020 Golden Boy award behind Erling Haaland – who arrived at Manchester City for £52million in 2022.
United’s summer approach for Fati came on the back of a third-place finish in the Premier League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Barca were able to fend off interest and tie Fati down to a long-term deal with a mammoth £363m release clause.
When Lionel Messi left for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, Fati took over the No10 shirt — but then a serious knee injury struck.
He was shipped out on a season-long loan to Prem side Brighton in 2023 – but failed to live up to their near £7million investment.
Fati has been absent with a foot injury so far this season and still has plenty of time to realise his immense potential.
United fans have lashed out at the Glazers after learning new details of the failed move from The Athletic.
One wrote: “Peak Glazer insanity”, before another commented: “That family were in a league of their own 😂.”
A second said: “Typical United willing to send a fortune on any mid player.”
A third added: “Obviously Ed Woodward and co would immediately overpay for such a player.”
While another noted: “WOW. We dodged a nuke.”
United left it late to do their business in 2020, sealing deadline day deals for Alex Telles, Edinson Cavani and Facundo Pellistri.
Amad also signed at the end of the window, though he didn’t join until January 2021.
Poor recruitment from the Glazer family has arguably been the greatest issue among fans throughout United’s post-Fergie era.
The transfer strategy was so bad that it, alongside “draining the club allegations”, sparked as series of protests outside Old Trafford from 2021 onwards.
United has been accused of overspending on players that are neither vetted nor proven.
Just take a look at the millions that were spent on Angel di Maria, Paul Pogba, and, more recently, Harry Maguire and Antony.
Actually, in the last ten years, Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in 2020 may be the only transfer choice United made that worked out.
However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the new minority share co-owner, has pledged a different transfer strategy going ahead, therefore the Red Devils have now turned their hopes to him.