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Report: West Ham attempted to sign record-breaking La Liga superstar in the summer

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It has been revealed that West Ham attempted to sign 16-year-old Barcelona prospect Ansu Fati in the summer transfer window.

As reported by Mundo Deportivo via Sport Witness, the Hammers were one of the many sides chasing the teenage sensation this summer before the attacker committed his future to Barcelona, with the likes of Real Madrid, Sevilla and Nice also interested in Fati.

The youngster made headlines all over the world last weekend when Fati became the youngster player ever to score and assist in a La Liga game during Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Valencia, a week after the 16-year-old became the Catalan club’s youngster ever goalscorer after netting in their 2-2 draw with Osasuna.

The record-breaking teenager has won the attention of football fans the world over, and the report from Mundo Deportivo suggests that Manuel Pellegrini was personally keen on bringing Fati to east London, with the Chilean manager reportedly speaking to various agents who were trying to help the player’s father obtain an advantageous economic package.

Yet it was Barcelona who won the race for the Guinea-Bissau-born attacker, who according to BBC Sport has a reported €100m release clause hidden in his contract as a way to lure away any potential big-money suitors.

The teenager recently made his Champions League debut for Barcelona, however, it is expected that his playing time with the senior squad will be dramatically reduced with club captain Lionel Messi returning to full fitness as well as Luis Suarez shaking off an early-season knock.

Still, it is interesting to see West Ham get ahead of the curve and identify one of the world’s most exciting youngsters ahead of other Premier League teams, yet just like Neymar in 2010 as reported by The Daily Mail, this is one teenager that the Hammers yet again will regret missing out on.

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