It's one of the most high-profile and even surprising projects of this transfer window, which hasn't even really started. Ansu Fati is expected to join AS Monaco in the coming days, on a loan deal with a €20 million purchase option. After a season in which he played a minor role under Hansi Flick, FC Barcelona 's number 10 will therefore attempt to relaunch his career at the Rock, discovering his third league at the age of 22. A real gamble for AS Monaco, and inevitably, one wonders: but what is Ansu Fati worth in 2025?
A physically fragile player.
On paper, it's clear that it's not exactly glorious. This season, the Spaniard hasn't scored a single goal or provided a single assist, playing only 233 minutes in La Liga . A meager playing time, while already in the winter, Hansi Flick had made it clear to the winger that he wasn't counting on him. But the man who was presented as Lionel Messi's successor insisted on staying, convinced that he could make a place for himself despite the competition from very capable players in the attacking sector.
But if he didn't play, it wasn't only because of the competition. Hansi Flick has proven that he doesn't hesitate to give a chance to players who weren't initially labeled as important players, like Ferran Torres, who excels as an attacking joker. When he did take to the pitch, we saw a rather slow Ansu Fati, out of step with the team. A far cry from the explosive player who wowed everyone when he first stepped into the Blaugrana jersey as a teenager. After major injury problems, the player, who still suffers from some discomfort, has lost a lot of physical attributes and is less of an unbalanced player. He hasn't managed to reinvent himself and, with his diminished sprinting and explosiveness, can no longer really make a difference.
But not only that
It must be said that it's a bit of a snake biting its own tail, since without regular playing time, it's difficult to find your cruising speed. There's another problem that isn't talked about, at least perhaps not enough in relation to the physical aspect: the psychological aspect. The Spanish press has already revealed that the player has confidence issues, and that he needs to feel the support and confidence of his coaches and teammates to be in a favorable context to perform. He needs to be the leader of a team, a status that is logically difficult to offer him given his recent performances. Even if his technical qualities could not have flown away from the next day's play, on a purely sporting level, there is therefore a lot of uncertainty surrounding his ability to perform because of this physical and psychological aspect.
But Adi Hutter can rest assured on one point: Ansu Fati is a superb professional. The press that follows FC Barcelona are unanimous: the Spaniard is a role model, an exemplary player who, despite his difficult situation, gives 100% in training and has an impeccable attitude. The Austrian coach knows that he will therefore have no behavioral problems with a player who is ambitious and ready to do anything to regain his strength. And it must be said that even if Ansu Fati only returns to 50% of his level during his first months with the FC Barcelona first team, he will already be a superb reinforcement for the club from the Rock. The pitch will speak for itself.
0 Comments