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Former Barcelona youth team manager Albert Puig has told Jijantes FC that he’s delighted with Ansu Fati’s decision to join Brighton & Hove Albion.

At the start of this season, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández used the 21-year-old as a substitute in the opening three games. In need of a regular game time, the winger joined the Seagulls on a loan deal towards the end of the last window.

Puig spent over a decade at the Catalan club in various roles between 2001 and 2014, and has now explained why the Barca owned player’s temporary move to Brighton is a success.

“It doesn’t hurt me that Ansu has left. He is a professional, he doesn’t have to stay with Barça to say that he has reached the top. Ansu is playing for Brighton at 20 years old, I call that success,” he said.

At Brighton, the Spain international has clocked in 595 minutes from 13 games, scoring four goals and registering an assist in the process. He made his first Premier League start in his side’s 1-1 draw against Sheffield United last weekend.

Fati is a product of the La Liga giants’ youth system and made his first team debut in 2019, when he was 16 years of age. Puig is of the belief his compatriot needs to be given time to continue his development.

“If Ansu at 25 is no longer playing in the elite we can talk about it, but at 20 years old playing in the Premier League is very difficult. We are in too much of a hurry, we have to wait and let the young people mature, even if it is not here,” Puig explained.

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