Summary
Real Madrid set to sign 18-year-old Lamini Fati, a left-footed central defender, for around £83k this winter.
Fati has impressive physique, ball control, and game-reading ability sought after by clubs.
Fati, yet to make professional debut, remains a key player for Leganes' reserve team despite recent transfer interests.
Real Madrid are ‘set to sign’ Lamini Fati, according to Fabrizio Romano. And, no, he is not in any way related to the youngest goalscorer in Champions League history, Ansu Fati. Playing as a central defender, Fati is currently one of the strong points of the Leganes reserve team, despite being just 18 years old.
It's a rather unexpected signing that, barring a turn of events, Madrid are expected to conclude this winter, in exchange for a cheque for around £83k. With its youth teams experiencing major problems with results, Real Madrid has decided to take action in order to avoid possible relegation, as well as to relieve its injury-ridden squad.
And if his arrival is confirmed, Fati could well be moving back and forth between the Merengues' C teams (16th in the Segunda Division, Spain's fourth tier) and La Castilla (the B team, 16th in Group B of the second tier). Here's everything you need to know about Real Madrid's latest target and one of the rising stars of Iberian football.
Lamini Fati's Career
Unlike many young players of his generation, Fati is still waiting to make his professional debut. And it's very unlikely not going to happen at Leganes. Although he is still playing there this season, the young defender has already had the opportunity to leave the Pepineros recently.
Valencia CF were keen to sign him, and it looked as though everything was in place for him to move to the Mestalla last summer, but in the end he stayed with the Madrid club. And it is with the latter that he has indeed found his way back onto the pitch. And although he is currently sidelined with a jaw injury, Fati remains one of the club's key players.
A potential that Real Madrid's recruitment team had the opportunity to assess during a friendly between the two reserve teams a few months ago, when Fati shone. It now remains to be seen whether he will be able to do the same in the youth teams and, why not one day, hope to knock on the door of the professional squad.
|Lamini Fati 2024/25 Stats|
|Competition|Appearances|Goal|Assists|
|Primera Division RFEF|12|1|0|
|---|
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Lamini Fati's Position and Style of Play
As mentioned above, Fati plays as a central defender and has the distinction of being left-footed. A player with a host of qualities, he has won the unanimous approval of regular observers of the third division. At the age of 18, Fati not only has an impressive physique that enables him to resist the pressure of his opponents and dominate them, but he also has a real command of the ball when it is at his feet. Add to that his ability to read the game, and you have a number of modern qualities that are now particularly sought after by clubs.
And this is not the first time that Leganes have stood out for the quality of their young players. In recent months, a number of them have made their mark on major clubs. Koke Mota has joined Atletico Madrid's reserves, while Sydney Osazuwa has made his mark at Real Sociedad. The case of Carlos Guirao, on loan with an option to buy at Real Betis, is further proof. Not to mention Diego Garcia and Seydouba Cisse, who have now joined El Lega's professional squad. All the more reason to praise the club's qualities as a training ground.
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All statistics per Soccerway - correct as of 16-12-2024.