Brighton seems to be overflowing with young talents that will eventually become stars. Any youngster that finds their way to the Gulls will surely become a household name soon.
Ansu Fati is by far the most exciting prospect that Brighton has ever seen, and he may become their first superstar.
After selling Caicedo, Brighton needed another promising talent that clubs would soon fight over. If de Zerbi can develop Fati correctly, they’ll have another star on their hands.
Not so long ago, Fati was the future of Barcelona. The club’s selected heir to Messi, Fati, showed immense potential at every level. He has still yet to really recover from a terrifying injury, but it’s shocking to see Barca let him go on loan.
When he broke onto the scene, Fati was the prototypical modern winger. Exceptionally technically talented, he would cut in from the wings to either score or find his teammates. There aren’t a lot of players that fit de Zerbi’s system as Fati, so the Spaniard can only explode.
Few clubs on Earth can match the production that Brighton gets from their scouting and transfer departments. If things go well, Fati will become another example of the Brighton way.
A few years ago, Fati was seen as Barça’s Messi replacement.
The world was really at his feet until a brutal injury robbed precious developmental time from him.
La Masia is, besides Ajax, the world’s premier footballing academy that has machine-assembled some of the world’s elite talents. After immigrating to Spain, Fati would eventually move to this incredible academy. Even at the youth level, the youngster began to show the skill that would later have him promoted to the first team.
At just over 16 years old, Fati made his first team appearance against Real Betis in August of 2019. His first season would intrigue the world, as he showed an ability to score and be a playmaker in the toughest competitions. Even as Barça began its most turbulent period, Fati was to be its one beacon of hope.
Just as he was on a meteoric trajectory to stardom, a meniscus injury in 2020 robbed him of the whole season. Missing out on a whole season like that meant that his development would be delayed by, at the very least, a year. Although he would come back for the 21-22 season, injuries would continue to haunt him over the next two seasons.
Despite inheriting the holy number 10 jersey and having a decent season, Xavi couldn’t find a path forward for Fati this year. So, in a truly shocking manner, Barça made available a star in the making at only 20 years old. What also makes this shocking for Barça is that the club doesn’t really have players better than Fati, especially with the departure of Dembele.
It’s important to remember that Fati is still just 20 years old with a proven track record in Europe’s best competitions. Fati has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, all while he is too young to drink in America.
Having rejected Tottenham, few clubs felt more fitting for Fati than Brighton. His electric playstyle will delight de Zerbi.
A truly modern player, Fati is at home cutting in from the left or playing under a striker. While the modern game does place him on the wing, Fati could truly be dangerous in the space under a striker. Messi has clearly influenced the Spaniard, as he has modeled the legend’s playstyle.
The forward lives in the final third, with his progressive passes and movement over the past year matching Europe’s elite. Playing on the wings gives Fati the ability to take players on and thrive in the tight spaces that he can dribble out of. In turn, his finishing and playmaking ensure that he will need to be tightly marked no matter what option he chooses.
Barça’s loss will be Brighton’s game, as the team is perfectly set up to get the most out of the forward. Brighton’s system is meant for creative players like him, and the Prem will be taken aback by the youngster.
As they have shown for over a season now, de Zerbi sets up his side with immense focus on the wings and number 10. Every attack and progressive movement starts there, with those players encouraged to move up the field. Additionally, technically gifted players become the stars of the show and are trusted by de Zerbi to be themselves.
In a summer window where they’ve lost two of their brightest stars, Brighton has found a way to bounce back. Fati will be beloved for the way he will seamlessly fit into de Zerbi’s schemes.
When he broke out onto the global scene, Fati was meant to be Barça’s bridge between Messi’s final years and the next generation. Due to a variety of issues outside of his control, the Spaniard will now rebuild his career in the best place possible.
Brighton is every neutral’s favorite side, and it’s safe to assume that de Zerbi will find a way to bring Fati back to stardom.
Photo: Getty Images
