At just 21 years old, Ansu Fati he should have had much of his career ahead of him, but he became something of an afterthought at Barcelona. After a disappointing season at Brighton this year, however, Fati has stated that he intends to be there next year.
Fati has made 30 appearances for Brighton, scoring four times and providing one assist, and has struggled to make an impact following an injury in November, which forced him to miss three months. There is some debate about its future, with some linking him with a move on loan to Sevilla, his first home. However, it will be a success in Barcelona.
“The same as always. Since I came here when I was 10 years old, my dream is to succeed at Barça. These last years have not been easy, but it is part of football. I am 21 years old and I have to continue to grow, but I hope to return all the love that I receive from the asses. Every day in the street I meet people who encourage me and continue to love me. That gives me motivation and pushes me to continue to fight for this club and give my best.”
New manager Hansi Flick was keen to watch him in pre-season before making a call on his future, but the last two seasons have provided relatively little opportunity for enthusiasm. Fati explained to MD that he was fully fit though.
“Right now I am at 100%. I am working hard because I feel that you always have room to improve. I spend many hours in the gym. There are people who believe that Ansu is still injured and in the end I went two years without injuries. I had a small injury and people focused on it. Last year, I played the whole season and did not miss a game. Not having the continuity that one wants makes it difficult, but I was prepared and fought until l 'last moment'.
Fati will undoubtedly have an uphill battle to prove he can do the job for Barcelona in a short period of time, and with Flick likely to be under pressure from the start, the chances of him getting the continuity he craves look slim. With Ferran Torres, Joao Felix and Raphinha all trying to compete with him for minutes, and plenty to prove to the top two, Fati will have to shine first.
