Analysis: Multifaceted Ansu Fati a shrewd signing for AS Monaco

AS Monaco’s signing of the versatile, exciting and immensely talented Ansu Fati is littered with upside, even though injuries have heavily hindered his career so far.

Following the landmark capture of Paul Pogba, the arrival of Fati’s a further statement of intent by Les Monégasques ahead of the new campaign, with these two acquisitions setting the tone superbly with pre-season just around the corner.

Joining on loan from FC Barcelona with an option to buy, the 22-year-old Spanish international joins ready to shine in his quest to return to his best.

Although the man who became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Champions League at 17 years and 40 days has struggled to remain healthy, which has hampered his capacity to fulfil his tremendous potential, there’s no doubting he’s truly world-class when fully fit and firing.

In addition to his technical ability and impressive experience for a player so young, Fati’s adaptability and tactical flexibility means he can operate as a winger, attacking midfielder or striker, which will give ASM manager Adi Hütter plenty of options on how best to use the gifted Fati.

“His quality is that he can play in all of the attacking positions. He can play at 9, 11, 7 or 10. He’s very versatile. It makes a difference. He’s fast. He’s got a great imagination, and he’s got this natural talent,” explained Albert Puig, La Masia’s former technical director.

“It’s very important – this kind of player who plays so freely on the streets for hours and hours. It was the same with Messi as a kid, although Messi is obviously different in other aspects. Added to this, his natural talent helps to make the player he has become.”

A major scoring threat, there’s much to admire about his accomplished finishing capabilities, which he’s proven emphatically despite his minimal recent action.

A pure ball-striker with admirable poaching instincts, Fati can find the back of the net in many ways and using all parts of his foot.

Confident when in range and never afraid to trust himself, it’s eye-catching how he blends power, placement and solid shot selection. Typically making rapid and quality decisions and knowing how to contort his body prior to launching his shots, this means the two-footed dynamo doesn’t require many touches before unleashing his efforts, which makes him very tough to defend if opponents aren’t in close enough proximity.

The fact he’s so intelligent and intentional with his positioning and knows when to target dangerous areas escalates his potency, for he’s a master at exploiting weaknesses in opposition structures and tailoring his runs into vacant space in and around the final third.

“When you watch Fati, you see his pace, his ability to play and finish off either foot. When a big moment comes, some people get a bit jittery, and some people go stone cold,” insisted respected Spanish football journalist Graham Hunter.

“Ansu Fati has that mentality in him. He’s the youngest player in Champions League history to score a goal – and that was at the San Siro against Inter Milan.”

Showing excellent timing and angling of his surges, this, in alliance with his speed, allows him to get the jump on his adversaries and gain the separation he seeks to get into desirable shooting locations or stretch defences vertically.

Very comfortable checking deeper to receive between the lines and in the half spaces and recognising when to drop shrewdly too, this bolsters his multifaceted menace and difficulty to keep tabs on.

Familiar with performing coherent rotations with his teammates, which is an integral element in Hütter’s framework, this will only increase his nuisance.

Moreover, his attentiveness to openings and his nearby environment also means he excels at creating room for colleagues by drawing foes away from specific zones.

Progressive in his passing as well, he’s adept at breaking lines with incision, threading through balls in behind to feed runners and linking play intricately with his considered combination play. What’s more, how he usually weights his passes with precision, plus can fire in some wicked crosses and cutbacks, elevates his playmaking prowess.

Technically proficient and a real wizard with the ball at his feet, his polished first touch and ball control ensure he impacts proceedings profoundly off the dribble too.

Blending explosiveness, athleticism and finesse, how he outfoxes markers with his directness, handy repertoire of feints, electric changes in pace and crafty skill moves compounds things for trackers and adds to his unpredictability.

Supremely balanced, boasting a low centre of gravity and very strong on the ball, the way he uses his body wisely to shield possession and hold up play with his back to goal is an underrated aspect in his armoury.

Capable of withstanding pressure from foes while remaining poised, his aptitude here subsequently sees frustrated defenders concede fouls in advantageous areas to let his team enjoy dead-ball situations from favourable advanced spots.

Having been schooled at La Masia and played under managers that want their teams to press aggressively, such as Ernesto Valverde, Ronald Koeman, Quique Setién, Xavi and Hansi Flick at Barcelona, but also Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton & Hove Albion, his defensive work is at a high level. A competent presser, diligent at tracking back and holding his own in the tackle, expect him to have little issue adjusting to Hütter’s intense stopping approach.

Now at Monaco and ready for this compelling next chapter, Fati will be eager to hit the ground running as he looks to breathe life and momentum back into his career and thrive on a new stage after enduring his fair share of challenges in recent years.

If he can stay injury-free, rediscover his consistency and get the minutes he craves, Fati has everything it takes to be a massive success in the Principality, regardless of where he’s deployed. He’s just that good.