Brighton sign Fati on loan from Barcelona

Brighton have completed the signing of Ansu Fati on loan from Barcelona.

The 20-year-old Spain international has signed a season-long loan at the American Express Community Stadium but there is no option to buy included in the deal.

Brighton are paying 80 per cent of his Barca contract over 10 months until the end of next June – that adds to £160,000 per week for a total of £7m.

Fati has made over 100 appearances for the LaLiga giants since making his debut as a 16-year-old in August 2019.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “I’m very pleased, it’s a big player. We lost Enciso and we needed one big player.

“We are lucky because we have a lot of young players, potential top players and it will be one responsibility more.

“If you work with this talent, you have much responsibility because it’s our football heritage and we can’t make mistakes with these players because football needs this talent and you have to manage it in different ways.

“I’ve always thought like this. Especially for the big, big talent, I feel the responsibility to help this talent to become great players.

“Sometimes the coaches think only of the result, only of their career but football needs to have great players. It’s a big responsibility and I feel it.

“I think our style is very close with his characteristics, with his qualities.”

Ansu, who made 36 LaLiga appearances last season as Barcelona secured their first title for four years, joined the club’s famed academy La Masia aged 10.

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Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi says the club are ‘very pleased’ to have secured the signature of Ansu Fati after the young Spaniard agreed to join the Seagulls on a season-long loan from Barcelona.

The 20-year-old enjoyed further success by winning the Spanish Super Cup, as well as the UEFA Nations League with Spain last season. He also made two appearances at the FIFA World Cup with Spain, who he has represented at senior level nine times, scoring two goals.

Brighton technical director David Weir said: “We are delighted to bring Ansu to the club. He 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. We will give him the opportunity to embed himself in the squad and to get used to working with Roberto, but naturally we’re excited to see him in a Brighton shirt.”

‘Fati signing a compliment to Brighton’s style’

Ansu Fati's stats for Barcelona in the 2022/23 LaLiga season
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Ansu Fati’s stats for Barcelona in the 2022/23 LaLiga season

Paul Merson on Sky Sports News:

“It’s a compliment to Brighton and the way they play. They do it year in year out with the players they recruit.

“I like what they do. They play total soccer. He’ll fit in.

“With everybody it’s how are they going to settle in. But he’s played at Barcelona. I’m sure he’ll be singing off the same hymn sheet as the Brighton players if he did at Barcelona.”

Why Fati to Brighton makes sense

Ansu Fati

There are many aspects to the Brighton success story. It is a triumph of club building, controlling the pace of change, mature and intelligent leadership. More recently, their recruitment in markets from South America to the Far East has been celebrated.

The loan signing of Ansu Fati is a little different. This is no gem unearthed, this is a player who had been widely tipped to become a world superstar from the age of 16 when he became Barcelona’s youngest player for 80 years, their youngest-ever scorer.

His journey to Brighton is not one from obscurity but from La Masia, the most famed academy in the game. Almost from the moment that he made his stunning breakthrough in August 2019, excitement abounded. That hyperbole quickly became difficult to quell.

Read Adam Bate’s feature in full here

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Late Barcelona fightback floors Spurs

Barcelona scored three goals in the final nine minutes to clinch the Joan Gamper Trophy and condemn Tottenham to a 4-2 defeat in their final pre-season fixture.

Spurs were without Harry Kane, James Maddison, Cristian Romero and Dejan Kulusevski at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona but produced an encouraging performance before fatigue caught up with them.

Oliver Skipp’s first-half double cancelled out Robert Lewandowski’s early opener and moved Ange Postecoglou’s side to within touching distance of third consecutive pre-season win.

But Ferran Torres’ equaliser (81) broke the Spurs resistance before Ansu Fati (90) and Abde Ezzalzouli (90+3) fired Barca to a dramatic maiden victory at their temporary home while redevelopment works at the Camp Nou continue.

Tottenham found themselves a goal down with barely two minutes on the clock when Raphinha’s darting run and pin-point cross to the far post found Lewandowski, who rifled a left-footed volley past goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs levelled against the run of play with their first meaningful attack, as Skipp pounced to convert after Giovani Lo Celso struck the post at the end of a flowing counter-attack.

Skipp, who has scored just one competitive goal in his entire Spurs career, completed an impressive first-half turnaround as the first period drew to a close, rising high above Frenkie de Jong to head Ivan Perisic’s cross past the hapless Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Spurs’ lead came under intense pressure after the break as Barca laid siege to the visiting goal but a disciplined defensive display, epitomised by Davinson Sanchez, looked as though it would frustrate the hosts.

That was until Sergio Reguilon was caught out of position, allowing substitute Ezzalzouli to race away and cross for Torres to scoop Barcelona back on level terms.

From there on, the hosts looked like the only team capable of winning the game. Vicario brilliantly kept out a Marcos Alonso free-kick but there was no stopping the late Barcelona onslaught as Fati and Ezzalzouli found the net to earn the hosts victory.

Harry Kane latest: Bayern preparing new £94.6m bid

Bayern Munich want to submit a new offer of €110m (£94.6m) including add-ons for Harry Kane on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The German champions are not giving up on signing the 30-year-old despite their latest offer, worth more than €100m (£86m) including add-ons, being rejected on Monday.

Bayern are aware that Kane wants his future sorted out this week, ahead of Tottenham’s opening game of the season at Brentford on Sunday. Kane’s addition remains the top priority among Bayern’s hierarchy, according to Sky Germany.

Nevertheless, an agreement between the clubs is not currently in sight and – as things stand – Kane is leaning towards staying at Tottenham.

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Sky Sports’ Paul Merson says he was shocked Manchester United didn’t sign Harry Kane and believes if they did, the team ‘would have won the Premier League’

Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports

Who will be on the move this summer ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.

Tottenham’s pre-season results

Tottenham’s first five fixtures

Spurs Fixtures 2023/24
  • August 13: Brentford vs Tottenham, live on Sky Sports – kick-off 2pm
  • August 19: Tottenham vs Manchester United, live on Sky Sports – kick-off 5.30pm
  • August 26: Bournemouth vs Tottenham – kick-off 12.30pm
  • September 2: Burnley vs Tottenham – kick-off 3pm
  • September 16: Tottenham vs Sheffield United – kick-off 3pm

Explained: Why Dembele wants to leave Barca for PSG

Ousmane Dembele made no secret only a month ago that he was happy at Barcelona, but now he wants to leave for Paris Saint-Germain.

Dembele, who signed for Barca in 2017 from Borussia Dortmund for £135m, was keen to discuss a new contract with the club ahead of his current deal expiring in 2024.

The 26-year-old told Marca in June: “I don’t know why there’s been so much talk about PSG. It must be because I’m French.

“It’s going very well. Barcelona want me to renew until 2027, and my representative will talk to them. I am happy at the team, also at home, in Barcelona. So we’ll see what happens.”

Since, however, Sky Sports News understands there has not been a lot of progress over this extension and, in the meantime, the dynamics at both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have shifted.

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Kaveh Solhekol explains what Kylian Mbappe’s refusal of a contract extension with PSG means for his future.

Most decisively, PSG decided to sell Kylian Mbappe after the player made it clear he would not extend his contract there and earmarked Dembele as his replacement.

PSG are understood to have made strong overtures towards Dembele while the Mbappe saga was rumbling on, with manager Luis Enrique seeing Dembele as the ideal successor.

At the same time, Barcelona are understood to have been one of the clubs that made a move for Mbappe, attempting to give PSG the solution they were looking for to get him off their books.

And from this, rumours are believed to have reached Dembele that have unsettled him – rumours that he was one of two names proposed to PSG as part of a potential deal.

Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona
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Dembele played a key role in Barcelona’s LaLiga triumph last season

Dembele has now told Barcelona that he wants to join PSG and, although his relationship with manager Xavi remains strong, he does not feel like the club has made a strong enough attempt to keep him.

Xavi publicly expressed his disappointment at Dembele’s decision this week, especially after he played a big part in the winger’s resurgence following a falling out with the club last January.

Dembele shone last season, being dubbed the ‘Assist King’ by Spanish media, as he scored eight goals and set up nine more in all competitions.

PSG have triggered a clause in Dembele’s contract which has given them five days to negotiate his transfer with Barcelona.

What to watch on Sky Sports this week

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Sheffield Wednesday vs Southampton – August 4 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Celtic vs Ross County – August 5 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Kilmarnock vs Rangers – August 5 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Leicester vs Coventry – August 6 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Leeds vs Cardiff – August 6 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Sunderland vs Ipswich – August 6 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
The Hundred – August 1 to 27 – LIVE on Sky Sports Cricket
Netball World Cup – July 28 to August 6 – LIVE on Sky Sports Action
Wyndham Championship – August 3 to 6 – LIVE on Sky Sports Golf

Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports

Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.