What next for Barcelona loanee Ansu Fati after rediscovering form at Monaco? – Analysis | OneFootball

FC Barcelona had a brilliant 2024/25 season under Hansi Flick, with the German coach leading the side to a domestic treble in his first season. They narrowly missed out on the Champions League final, losing to Inter Milan in the semi-final in heartbreaking fashion.

Despite all the success that Barcelona enjoyed as a team, one player who did not have a great time was Ansu Fati. Once touted as the future star of the first team, the Spaniard was hardly given opportunities by Hansi Flick.

Even when he did, Fati looked a pale shadow of his former self. The smile disappeared from his face, and it looked as though he was just making up the numbers in the squad. A fresh start was needed, and AS Monaco came calling in the summer.

Barcelona loaned their then No. 10 to the Ligue 1 club, handing over his jersey to Lamine Yamal. Fans were hoping for a career renaissance for Fati in France, but even the most optimistic supporters would not have expected him to start in this manner.

Monaco manager Adi Hutter took his time before integrating Fati into the first-team plans. He did not feature in any of the pre-season games or the first few weeks of the new campaign, not even making the squad.

The manager reiterated that he had a plan for the 22-year-old and that his opportunity would come once he was ready. This decision proved a masterstroke: when Fati was finally introduced, he looked transformed.

Mostly playing behind the striker, Ansu Fati has not stopped scoring since making his debut. He looks switched on, sharp, and extremely confident, and he has scored five goals in just four Ligue 1 games. He is averaging a goal every 46 minutes at the time of writing.

Such has been the impact the 22-year-old has had in his brief time at Monaco that there were calls for Luis de la Fuente to call him up to the national team squad to replace Barcelona star Dani Olmo, who was injured. Although it did not happen, it gives an idea of the trajectory he is on.

All this begs the question: Does Fati have a future at Barcelona once his loan spell at Monaco comes to an end? The French club has an €11m buy option, but the Catalan club can buy him back for €28m, should they wish to do so. We have just covered a story that Premier League clubs such as Everton, Crystal Palace, and Newcastle United want to sign him.

Is it too early to have this conversation?

As good as Fati’s start to his Monaco career has been, it might be too early to have this conversation. Just a handful of games have been played, and his scoring rate is unlikely to be sustainable in the long run.

Yes, it may be too early. Even so, especially in the game against Manchester City in the Champions League, Fati showed that he has what it takes to play at the highest level against the best opposition again. His physical condition seems to be the best it has been in ages.

Barcelona fans love and adore him, and the dream has always been for him to succeed wearing a Blaugrana jersey. That said, the club must handle this situation with caution while keeping tabs on how he performs over the course of the campaign.

Should Fati be able to sustain this level of performance, combined with the fitness to play week in, week out, there is no reason why Barcelona should not trigger his buy-back clause to bring him back, even if Monaco buy him at the end of the season.

Right now, it brings immense joy to see Ansu Fati playing the game with a smile again. Slowly but surely, he seems to be getting back to his best. Who knows? He could end up returning to Barcelona and becoming a mainstay in Hansi Flick’s team in the seasons to come.

Let us not get ahead of ourselves, though, and let us wish Ansu the very best for the rest of the season.