LONDON: Brighton & Hove Albion have signed forward Ansu Fati on a season-long loan from Barcelona, the Premier League club announced on Friday. LaLiga side Barcelona added that the agreement does not include an option to make the transfer permanent. Fati, a product of Barcelona’s academy, enjoyed a breakout campaign for the Spanish heavyweights in the 2019-20 season, scoring eight goals in 33 appearances in all competitions. Though his minutes were limited in the following two years due to injuries, he was a regular in Xavi Hernandez’s side last season, making 36 league appearances as Barcelona won the LaLiga title. Fati has also played nine times for Spain. The 20-year-old was a target for London club Tottenham Hotspur but his decision to move to the south coast is a major coup for Brighton, who have garnered a reputation for developing young talent. Brighton finished sixth last season and will play in the Europa League in this campaign — their first-ever appearance in European competition.