- He is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Barcelona
- He is currently on loan at Brighton and Hove Albion
- Brighton manager De Zerbi is disappointed at his performance
Ansu Fati’s loan at Brighton and Hove and Albion from Barcelona has been full of struggles for the 21-year-old forward, and Brighton’s manager has shown concern demanding more effort from the player for the remaining part of the season.
The 21-year-old joined Premier League club Brighton on the transfer deadline day of the summer transfer window in 2023, due to limited playing time at Barcelona. After a series of injuries, he struggled to regain his starting spot at Barcelona.
The loan to Brighton aimed to give him more regular playing time and help him get back to his best form. Since returning from a serious calf injury in February, he has not registered a goal contribution in nine appearances and this made him miss out on being called upon from the bench for the defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Brighton’s manager De Zerbi is disappointed at the forward’s form and he was not included in the matchday squad for Brighton’s Premier League clash with Brentford, a sign that the Italian coach completely dropped him.
He hoped to revitalize his career in England but since having the injury, things haven’t gone as planned and this should be a major concern for Barcelona.
Ansu Fati biography
The 21-year-old was born in Guinea-Bissau on October 31 2002 to Bori, a former footballer who played in lower leagues in Portugal before moving to Spain and Lurdes Fati. He has two elder brothers Braima and Miguel, and two sisters Djuco and Djenaba.
Ansu Fati. Photo/Eurosport
The family moved to Spain when Ansu was six years old following his brother Braima’s move to play for Sevilla’s youth teams. Having a football background, he also followed suit and played for local side Herrera and later for Sevilla’s youth squads before joining Barcelona youth academy.
At the academy, he progressed through the ranks and with his dribbling skills, he was considered a top prospect with the team. He signed his first professional contract with Barca in 2019 and made his La Liga debut at the age of sixteen.
He scored his first La Liga goal which made him the youngest goal-scorer in the club’s history. The young player continued to impress at the club and won the La Liga title, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana with Barcelona during that period.
Following Messi’s departure from the club, he inherited Jersey number 10 which signified his importance to the team. Unfortunately, his career was disrupted by a series of injuries that hampered his progress, struggling to regain his starting spot after recovering, he received limited playing time at Barcelona.
Ansu was loaned to Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion in 2023 for the season to gain more playing experience. Though born in Guinea-Bissau, he chose to play for Spain after acquiring its citizenship.
He debuted for the Spain U-21 team in 2019 and received his first call-up to the Spanish national team the following year, made his international debut and scored his first goal in his first start making him Spain’s youngest-ever goalscorer at that time.
Ansu’s Loan at Brighton and Hove Albion and manager De Zerbi’s take
After recovering from a series of injuries at Barcelona, the player had limited play time and was loaned to Brighton and Hove Albion, where he would recover his form. However, the loan spell so far hasn’t gone according to plan.
Ansu Fati. Photo/SPORT
Despite his pedigree, he hasn’t been able to secure a regular starting point spot under manager De Zerbi, primarily being used as a substitute. In early 2024, he sustained another injury further hindering his progress.
Upon returning, the player continued with struggles and the manager called out his lack of form, leaving him out of the matchday squad for a premier league game. The Italian manager has challenged Fati to improve his physical condition and performance.
This leaves the player in a compromising situation as he needs to figure out if he will be able to regain his form at Brighton, to earn a starting spot. It is also not clear if Barcelona will loan him out again or integrate him back into the squad.
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