It didn’t top the list, but it landed close behind. Which moment in a match would see the call for Ansu Fati rise again? The injuries to Yéremi Pino and Lamine Yamal opened the door for his return to the national team, a place he has occupied intermittently since his memorable debut in 2019, despite missing the September camp. Even with the distance, he remains part of Luis de la Fuente’s plans and is playing for Brighton, where he is trying to restart his professional journey. The new chapter hasn’t begun in earnest yet.
Soon enough. In just over a month, he has navigated a new club, a new city, and a new language. Life moves on as it does for Barcelona. He trains, he features in matches, sometimes starting, sometimes coming off the bench. Ansu joined Brighton, and in seven games he started twice. One start ended with a long Europa League night against AEK Athens (2-3); another began with him on the bench at halftime during the visit of Chelsea. He did manage to score in Brighton’s defeat to Aston Villa (6-1). The momentary 3-1 deficit did not spark a resurgence for the Seagulls, who then added two additional draws to their record.
family meeting
The Guinean striker is competing with a crop of attackers and midfielders for a starting slot in Brighton’s attack. The list includes Brazilian João Pedro, England’s Danny Welbeck, Ireland’s Evan Ferguson, and Argentinian Facundo Buonanotte. Coach Roberto De Zerbi won over Ansu with a phone call that convinced him to commit, and a family meeting in Herrera, Seville, where the Fati Vieiras settled upon arriving in Spain in the closing days of the transfer window helped seal the decision. Ansu flew from Seville to England with his father, Bori, choosing not to stop by Barcelona or bid farewell to teammates, believing the move would be a short, one-season absence.
De Zerbi persuaded Ansu after learning that Xavi Hernández would not guarantee him the minutes he sought. Last season, Ansu was the player who appeared most often for the squad, featuring in 51 of 53 possible matches. Yet he was rarely a regular starter, named in only 14 match squads. He contributed 10 goals and 3 assists. The expectations surrounding his time at Barça worsened as those numbers failed to translate into guaranteed regular minutes. He played in all three of Barça’s matches that spring, but logged only a handful of minutes in each—11, 22, and 14 minutes respectively. Xavi believed he deserved a larger role, too.
Those three matches did little to help Spain coach Luis de la Fuente select Ansu for the September squad for the bilateral fixtures against Georgia and Cyprus. England’s presence in the country, combined with the injuries to Pino and Lamine Yamal, created space for a renewed focus on matches against them. The group’s October fixtures, against Scotland and Norway, stood out as potential turning points. The call to national duty would become a confidence boost for Ansu, confirming that he had not faded from view. He remained in the mix, buoyed by a standout scoring spree during a league clash that saw him find the net twice against Barcelona in the league’s second round.
The pivotal season
Brighton’s sporting director, David Weir, highlighted the importance of the current season: “This season is pivotal for the club, and we are thrilled that a player of Ansu’s quality is part of it.” He noted that Ansu is one of the most coveted young talents in world football and, despite his youth, possesses substantial experience in both national leagues and European competition. At twenty years old, Ansu’s trajectory continues to attract close attention.
When he was only 17, Ansu became the second youngest footballer in national-team history and the youngest goalscorer for his country. His path has been compared with contemporaries who have already made a significant mark, including Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Baldé, and Ferran Torres, as well as those who joined him during the same period. If not for the breakthroughs of those peers, his journey might have taken a different shape, but the collective talent around him pushed the timeline forward.
Throughout his career, Ansu has demonstrated resilience, adapting to new leagues and new styles while managing expectations that come with a high-profile transfer. His situation at Brighton is not just about minutes on the pitch; it is about rebuilding confidence, proving his durability, and contributing to a club that is counting on growth and stability. The broader national context remains an important backdrop, with coaches watching closely to see how he balances club responsibilities with international duties. The outcome of this delicate balancing act will influence not only his future with the national team but also his standing in European football circles. [citation:club-scouting]