Brighton are set to seal the sensational signing of Barcelona’s highly-rated talent Ansu Fati on a season-long loan.
Image source: transfermarkt.com
The Spanish international, 20, for the majority of the summer, had vowed to stay and Barcelona and fight for his place in Xavi Hernandez’s starting XI. This week, however, he had a change of heart and decided to play elsewhere during the 2023/24 season. As such, the youngster has opened the doors for an exit with a plethora of clubs vying to acquire his signature.
The likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund all registered interest in signing Ansu Fati on loan. But with deadline day fast approaching, Brighton entered the race on Wednesday night and are now the favourites to land Ansu Fati. They are reportedly closing in on the 20-year-old as Barcelona are prepared to accept the formal loan proposal, with Roberto de Zerbi playing a crucial role in convincing the player to join his squad at the Amex Stadium.
Ansu Fati will be a smashing addition to Brighton’s squad
Brighton look to maintain the feel-good factor at the Amex by bolstering the attacking department. As Julio Enciso recently suffered a knee injury and will spend an unspecified period on the sidelines, the south coast club are on the lookout for attacking reinforcements. And as per the latest developments, they are willing to bet on Ansu Fati for the ongoing season.
Fati had been reticent to any move away from Barcelona, but after 16-year-old Lamine Yamal was handed a start ahead of him in the last couple of games, he will have known that he needed to move to get regular game time. The Spaniard, who started just 12 games in La Liga last season, has rejected the lures of top European clubs to join De Zerbi’s Brighton.
Given the way Brighton play under De Zerbi, there was an obvious allure for Fati. The youngster’s dribbling skills, pace and creativity would add more potency to Brighton’s attack, whilst competition up top will only be a good thing for De Zerbi.
Seen by many as the natural heir to Lionel Messi, Fati’s trajectory has been downward ever since he suffered from a knee injury which he’s yet to really get over. So, a move to the Seagulls is a chance to revive his career. A player eager to play and impress joining a club looking for more muscle in attacking areas seems a no-brainer and would certainly help Brighton to balance Premier League football with continental adventure this season.
All in all, Brighton getting their hands on Fati—even for a season—is simply sensational and illustrates the club’s rise in the Premier League in recent years.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
