Do you hear that sound? That's the sound of Brighton & Hove Albion fans' jaws hitting the floor up and down the country.
In one of the most remarkable transfers of the summer, Brighton have managed to sign Ansu Fati on a season-long loan - a man once hailed as Lionel Messi's successor at Barcelona.
The 20-year-old has already amassed 112 appearances for the Catalan giants, scoring 29 times and providing ten assists. He has won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Nations League, and he's on his way to Brighton.
Fati's willingness to join the Seagulls is a compliment to Roberto De Zerbi and his fluid side, but it also helps solve some glaring financial issues for Barcelona in what appears a win-win deal for all involved.
Here is how much Fati's loan deal will save Barcelona.
The details of Ansu Fati to Brighton
Fati's father Bori expressed his anger regarding his son's lack of playing time in a punchy interview last season. The player was quick to reassure his Barcelona manager Xavi that he did not agree with his father's strong views but Fati's future has been uncertain all summer.
A deal for Fati was finalised on deadline day between Brighton and Barcelona despite interest from a number of other clubs, including the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Brighton and Barcelona have agreed upon a season-long loan but there is no obligation or option for the Premier League outfit to buy Fati next summer. This means his Barcelona future is safe for now, although Xavi had indicated earlier in the summer that Fati could be sold to help his side's financial issues off the pitch.
How much will Barcelona save?
Brighton will cover 80% of Ansu Fati's large wages, allowing Barcelona to save a significant amount of money from his loan move.
The young Spaniard is currently on 200,000-a-week in Catalonia, meaning Brighton will pay £160,000-a-week for his services this season. Over the course of ten months, Barcelona are set to save £6.4m on Fati's wages, a mightily welcome pot of cash for a club in financial turmoil.
Barcelona are already walking a tightrope to comply with La Liga's ruthless Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, even removing buy options from the loan deals of Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo from Atletico Madrid and Manchester City to make sure they meet requirements.
La Liga make their own calculations for each club's salary limit based on available revenue and prohibit teams from exceeding these margins by even a euro. There were concerns that the new loan signings of Cancelo and Felix might struggle to be registered in La Liga, but the pair could make their debut against Osasuna on Sunday.
The club have suffered major financial issues in recent seasons, so any saving they can make will be enormously helpful both in the short and long term. However, Fati's wages only constitute a drop in the ocean for Barca.
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This article was originally published on 90min as How Ansu Fati's Brighton loan improves Barcelona finances.
