Arsenal could find themselves having to splash out on a big fee, should they wish to land Barcelona forward Ansu Fati, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs revealed to GIVEMESPORT.
Fati has garnered interest from various Premier League suitors, but Jacobs insists any move for the Spanish international will cost a large amount of money.
Arsenal transfer news - Ansu Fati
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As per a report in CaughtOffside, Fati could be set for a sensational departure from the Camp Nou, less than two years after inheriting Lionel Messi's famous number-10 shirt.
After Messi departed Catalonia for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, Fati was handed the number-10 shirt, but the La Masia graduate has since failed to live up to expectations for the Blaugrana.
Instead, as per the report, Fati is linked with a move away from the La Liga giants, with various Premier League clubs already monitoring the situation.
It's claimed Arsenal are among a whole host of Premier League sides showing interest, with Manchester United and Liverpool also eyeing a move up.
Interestingly enough, it comes after a rumoured bust-up in the Barcelona dressing room, which Fati was reportedly front and centre of.
It was claimed by AS that Robert Lewandowski approached Fati after Barcelona's recent defeat against United, complaining about the 20-year-old's contributions to the side.
As a result, speculation surrounding his future has started to grow, with stories linking Fati with a move away from Spain starting to gather pace.
What has Ben Jacobs said about Fati to Arsenal?
When quizzed on the situation in an interview with GMS, CBS reporter Jacobs hinted Arsenal could be in the mix for Fati's signature.
On the winger, Jacobs said: "It's also to Ansu Fati’s point of view about finding a club in the long term, whether Barcelona or elsewhere, that can give him that regularity of game time.
"Because even when Fati has played a game and the number is already higher than last season, it's not always been an integral part or always the full 90 minutes. So what Barcelona and Xavi will be looking to get out of him, if they keep him which is their intent, is a player that can actually contribute and play a full 90 minutes.
"After a while, when you have the number 10 in Barcelona, if you don't do that, you start to fall down the pecking order at which point there might be an opportunity for a Premier League club to pounce.
"But at this point, the Premier League clubs that are being linked are going to have to spend a lot of money and may feel that the Barcelona valuation is too high at this point to seriously advance anything.”
Would it be worth Arsenal splashing the cash on Fati?
Depending on Barcelona's asking price, Arsenal could find value in making a move for Fati at the end of the season.
Despite having a release clause in the region of €1 billion, Fati could still be on the move this summer, with Spanish journalist Marcal Lorente claiming a deal could be done for as little as £62 million.
Given their need to free up funds, it perhaps isn't unthinkable for Barcelona to green-light Fati's exit in the coming months.
Having featured in the starting-11 for just 35% of Barcelona's league matches this season, it's clear Fati isn't an integral part of Xavi's plans, with a move to Arsenal a real possibility right now.