Sources: Ansu Fati close to joining Brighton on loan from Barcelona

Ansu Fati is prepared to go away Barcelona earlier than the switch window closes this week with Brighton working on an bold loan deal for the Spain ahead, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

Tottenham have held talks with Barca as nicely, however they’re additionally pursuing the signing of Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson.

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Fati, 20, is open to a season-long loan transfer to the Premier League, sustaining his hyperlink with Barça, however nothing has been finalised but forward of Friday’s switch deadline.

It marks a dramatic turnaround from Fati, who has beforehand been reluctant to go away the Catalan membership this summer season regardless of stress from elsewhere.

Barça, his agent, Jorge Mendes, and his father, Bori, have all been pushing for him to spend a yr elsewhere so as to play common soccer.

Spurs and Chelsea had each been linked with Fati this week, however Brighton, coached by Roberto De Zerbi, emerged because the front-runners to conclude a deal on Wednesday.

Fati has featured off the bench in Barça’s first three video games of the season however has struggled to earn an everyday place in Xavi Hernandez’s facet since recovering from a number of long-term accidents forward of the 2022-23 season.

After bursting onto the scene as a 16-year-old in 2019, he missed virtually two years of soccer between 2020 and 2022 due to numerous knee and hamstring issues.

He remained match final season, making 51 appearances, the bulk off the bench, and scoring 10 objectives, however he was pissed off by a scarcity of begins.

That led to his father, Bori, calling for him to give up the membership earlier this yr and saying he was irritated by the way in which Barça had been treating Fati, who inherited the No.10 shirt from Lionel Messi.

Fati has a contract with Barça till 2027 and a €1 billion launch clause.

His attainable departure, coupled with Clément Lenglet’s loan transfer to Aston Villa, which sources inform ESPN will probably be closed on Thursday, might allow Barça to signal two extra Mendes purchasers.

Barça are ready to clear sufficient house inside their LaLiga-imposed spending restrict to usher in Manchester City right-back João Cancelo, whereas sources verify in addition they stay eager on Atletico Madrid ahead João Félix.

Speaking earlier this summer season, Felix mentioned he would love to be part of Barça, who will transfer for a ahead earlier than Friday ought to Fati go away after additionally dropping Ousmane Dembélé to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.