Ansu Fati’s loan switch from Barcelona to Brighton came somewhat out of the blue on transfer deadline day. And while his rise to first-team starter at the Amex in the Premier League has been a bit of a slow burner, the young Spain international is starting to show glimpses of what he’s capable of, which has led to speculation a permanent switch away from Camp Nou could be on the cards.
Brighton, as everyone knows, have come a long way in a relatively short space of time, to the point where they head into most games where Premier League match betting is concerned as the favourite. And they’re also able to attract talents such as Fati, who was labelled as one of the most promising young players on the planet not so long ago. They could even be in a position to sign the attacker permanently at the end of his temporary stay.
It's long been believed that the intention for Fati, who is still only twenty-one, is to find his form once again during his spell with Brighton under the guidance of manager Roberto De Zerbi before returning to parent club Barcelona to continue his career with the Catalan giants who he’s already racked up over a century of senior appearances with. It was also believed that Barcelona and manager Xavi wanted this to be the case, too, but recent reports have now suggested they’d potentially be open to a sale.
Barcelona’s financial woes have been well-documented, and the reports suggest that Fati could be made available for a full transfer for €30 million, which works out at around £26.2 million. It’s a lot less than what teams would have been expected to pay when Fati burst onto the scene as a teenager in La Liga, but injury-hit seasons and a struggle to get back to the same level as a result has played a part in that.
You’d imagine that if Fati was to be made available, Brighton would be in pole position to sign him if the rest of the season pans out well for both parties. De Zerbi hasn’t thrown Fati in at the deep end and instead only used him as a substitute in the Premier League while starting him in the Europa League. Fati’s last two performances in Europe, both against Ajax, then led to his first start in the top flight.
De Zerbi’s handle-with-caution approach could well be pivotal in Fati getting back to somewhere near his best, which is what everyone will be looking to happen. But this could also see his market value skyrocket as a result. From four Europa League starts, Fati has two goals and an assist. And in just 264 minutes of Premier League football, he’s bagged two goals, which isn’t bad going.
Of course, Fati delivering the goods will also see other suitors take a keen interest in the La Liga champion, but as one of the best-run and most exciting clubs in Europe, Brighton would surely be front of the queue if indeed Fati’s time in Spain with Barcelona comes to an end this summer.
Brighton, as everyone knows, have come a long way in a relatively short space of time, to the point where they head into most games where Premier League match betting is concerned as the favourite. And they’re also able to attract talents such as Fati, who was labelled as one of the most promising young players on the planet not so long ago. They could even be in a position to sign the attacker permanently at the end of his temporary stay.
It's long been believed that the intention for Fati, who is still only twenty-one, is to find his form once again during his spell with Brighton under the guidance of manager Roberto De Zerbi before returning to parent club Barcelona to continue his career with the Catalan giants who he’s already racked up over a century of senior appearances with. It was also believed that Barcelona and manager Xavi wanted this to be the case, too, but recent reports have now suggested they’d potentially be open to a sale.
Barcelona’s financial woes have been well-documented, and the reports suggest that Fati could be made available for a full transfer for €30 million, which works out at around £26.2 million. It’s a lot less than what teams would have been expected to pay when Fati burst onto the scene as a teenager in La Liga, but injury-hit seasons and a struggle to get back to the same level as a result has played a part in that.
You’d imagine that if Fati was to be made available, Brighton would be in pole position to sign him if the rest of the season pans out well for both parties. De Zerbi hasn’t thrown Fati in at the deep end and instead only used him as a substitute in the Premier League while starting him in the Europa League. Fati’s last two performances in Europe, both against Ajax, then led to his first start in the top flight.
De Zerbi’s handle-with-caution approach could well be pivotal in Fati getting back to somewhere near his best, which is what everyone will be looking to happen. But this could also see his market value skyrocket as a result. From four Europa League starts, Fati has two goals and an assist. And in just 264 minutes of Premier League football, he’s bagged two goals, which isn’t bad going.
Of course, Fati delivering the goods will also see other suitors take a keen interest in the La Liga champion, but as one of the best-run and most exciting clubs in Europe, Brighton would surely be front of the queue if indeed Fati’s time in Spain with Barcelona comes to an end this summer.