Barcelona winger Ansu Fati is heading to Brighton in a surprising loan move, and a conversation with Roberto De Zerbi helped him make his decision.
It was anticipated that he would join Tottenham Hotspur on loan, but a dramatic turn of events has now seen him agree a deal to join Brighton.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Fati was convinced to join Brighton by De Zerbi, and despite initially wanting to stay at Barcelona, he has now changed his mind.
“Ansu Fati is going to Brighton, the deal is almost done. We are waiting for the documents to be signed but verbally everything is agreed,” he stated.
“Ansu Fati will be on a private flight on Thursday to travel to Brighton and sign his contract, it is a done deal, is a here we go, waiting of course for the player to complete medical tests and to sign the contract.
“It’s a loan deal so there is no buy option, only one year loan, agreed with Brighton. Also for Ansu Fati, it was crucial to speak to Roberto De Zerbi. De Zerbi had a conversation with Ansu Fati, it was a very important one and De Zerbi made a difference to convince the player.
“Ansu Fati always wanted to stay at Barcelona, but he understood about Barca wanting to try something different in that position.”
Has Xavi made a mistake?
The 20-year-old was struggling for game time this season, with Xavi choosing to use four midfielders and one winger in his system, and the likes of Lamine Yamal and Abde Ezzalzouli have overtaken him in the pecking order.
Xavi’s lack of trust in Fati stems back to last season, where he struggled for form following a long-term injury layoff, and despite Ousmane Dembele leaving this summer, Fati has still struggled for minutes.
This could be an ideal move for all parties. Fati can have a fresh start to try and find his form, and if he succeeds, Barcelona can bring him back next season.
Fati has been described as “magic” by teammate Eric Garcia, and he is simply too talented to give up on now. Once the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne, a year playing under De Zerbi can help him reach his potential, and given Xavi’s preference for other options, it seems Barcelona will not miss him too much whilst he is gone.