"He has to push 100 percent, every day" - Manager urges Barcelona loanee to 'believe in himself more' following return from injury
Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto Di Zebri has urged Ansu Fati, who's currently on a loan from Barcelona to the Seagulls, to have confidence in himself following his return from injury.
Ansu Fati joined Premier League side Brighton on a loan deal from Barcelona in September 2023. However, the 21-year-old suffered a hamstring injury against Nottingham Forest in November and has been sidelined for three months.
He made his comeback for the Seagulls against Crystal Palace, where he was on the pitch for only two minutes. Fati made his first start post-injury during Brighton's 1-0 loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday (February 29) in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Playing against the Wolves, the 21-year-old failed to put up an impressive display, taking only one shot which was also deflected. After the match, Roberto Di Zebri urged Fati to keep faith in himself and said (via Fabrizio Romano):
"He needs to believe in himself more. He is a sensitive guy, a good guy and part of my work is to help players believe in themselves to show all of their qualities and not one part. He has to push 100%, every day".
The Spanish forward has made 19 appearances, bagging four goals and one assist for Brighton. Di Zebri's side will now visit Craven Cottage to face Fulham on March 2 (Saturday).
Barcelona to get 50% from La Masia talent's sale: Reports
Barcelona are reportedly eyeing the situation of former La Masia talent Mika Marmol, who has garnered the interest of top La Liga clubs, in the summer transfer window, as per Mundo Deportivo. Marmol left the La Liga giants on a free transfer and joined FC Andorra in August 2022.
After spending a year in Andorra, the 22-year-old joined Las Palmas in August 2023. Since then, the Spanish central defender has made 24 appearances for the La Liga outfit, managing to keep seven clean sheets in that time.
According to the aforementioned report, he has been on the radar of Atletico Madrid, Real Betis and Girona. Interestingly, despite signing a contract with Palmas, Bluagrana still owns 50% of the player’s rights.
As a result, the La Liga giants will be entitled to half the share of the fee of the 22-year-old. Mika Marmol's reported market value is expected to be around €30 million.