Hey Fati done done: Barcelona youngster joins Brighton on loan
Brighton have signed forward Ansu Fati on a season-long loan from Barcelona.
The 20-year-old Spain international made 36 La Liga appearances last season for Barcelona as they went on to win the title.
“This is a great deal for all of us,” Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi said on the Premier League club’s website.
“I am sure Ansu will help us to reach a new target and we can help him get back at the level he deserves to be.”
Fati came through the Barcelona academy, making his senior debut in August 2019 and later became the club’s youngest goalscorer in both La Liga and the Champions League.
Tottenham and Chelsea were both credited with an interest but Brighton emerged triumphant as they offer European football and have a Spaniard in the dug-out.
Brighton technical director David Weir said: “Ansu is one of the most highly-rated young players in the world and arrives with an impressive amount of experience both domestically and in European competition, despite his age.
“This season is the biggest in the club’s history and we’re really happy that a player of Ansu’s quality is going to be part of it.”
Brighton were drawn to take on former Champions League winners Ajax and Marseille in Friday’s group stage draw.
Roberto De Zerbi’s men secured a first season in continental football with a sixth-place finish in last season’s Premier League table, and their reward is matches against four-time European champions Ajax and the 1993 European Cup winners Marseille.
The Seagulls’ other group opponents are reigning Greek champions AEK Athens, with the first round of group stage games to be played on Thursday, September 21.
De Zerbi said: “It’s a tough group. They are all good teams, but we are a good team too. It’s the first time for Brighton in Europe. You can imagine the behaviour and passion there will be to get points and qualify.”
READ: All the Premier League completed transfers in the summer window of 2023
The article Hey Fati done done: Barcelona youngster joins Brighton on loan appeared first on Football365.com.
