He has become the most exciting young prospect in European football, yet Ansu Fati was being primed for a move to English football just weeks before he got his big break with Barcelona.
In August, aged 16 years and 298 days, Fati became the second-youngest player to debut for the La Liga club, coming on late in a 5-2 win over Real Betis. One week later, he followed it up with his first professional goal in a 2-2 draw at Osasuna. Two weeks after that, he scored his first Camp Nou goal.
He's a teen sensation, but Bleacher Report has learned how it could have all been so different.