Ansu Fati goes on loan to Brighton

Despite the wishes of many Barça fans and the wishes of the player himself, Ansu Fati has finally accepted a loan deal to join Brighton & Hove Albion. However, the terms of the deal could end up being a win-win for everyone involved.

Ansu Fati burst onto the scene as a 16-year old, oozing talent and a knack for scoring plenty of goals. However, he’s struggled mightily with injury the last few years, and he hasn’t been able yet to fully cement himself in this Barcelona side. Seeking more game time, but wanting to stay at the club he grew up in, he’s been caught between a rock and a hard place for quite some time.

The recent struggle between the player and the team has resulted in Ansu finally relenting in search of more opportunity. He wanted to prove himself to Xavi and his staff and remain in Catalunya, but it was made clear to him that he wouldn’t get much playing time this season, as several players would be ahead of him on the team sheet. However, it was clear to Xavi that Ansu was slowly regaining his pre-injury form, and so he didn’t want to lose the talented youngster.

The 20-year old will play his football this season in the Premier League under Roberto de Zerbi, which is a very exciting prospect for the English side as well. Brighton will cover 80% of his salary as he tries to return to his highest level.

He will presumably get more playing time, as the Italian coach has promised an important role for him. Additionally, Brighton are a team that, in many ways, play like Barcelona, and de Zerbi is a coach that is hailed for his understanding of positional play. It could be a very interesting environment for Ansu to develop and seek more first team football.

It’s also quite possible that Fati could play in several different positions for Brighton, which hopefully would increase his understanding of the game and make for a more seamless fit with his Barça teammates later on.

The very good news here is that it will be a simple loan, with no permanent buy option for Brighton. He will be returning to Barcelona next summer, by which time hopefully he will have shown some more consistency. It’s quite possible that by then he may earn a place in Xavi’s team.

What do you think of this move? Will Ansu succeed in the Premier League?