With a couple of days left in the summer transfer window, it appears that Chelsea's focus is on signing another player, having missed out on Xavi Simons. The Blues have already put in an official proposal in the region of €40 million to FC Barcelona for Fermin Lopez. And the Spanish club appear to have already given an answer.
Lopez is not a regular starter for FC Barcelona. Even that, he was able to score 8 goals and provide 10 assists last season, despite mostly getting his minutes off the bench.
Also, the Premier League is the best in the world. There is no doubt about that. So, that is an added attraction for players, even those who have come through the La Masia ranks. Just last summer, we saw Marc Guiu make the switch from Camp Nou to Stamford Bridge. Could Lopez be next?
Well, that is not clear at the moment. A move has not been completely ruled out. These could be an interesting couple of days. And Fabrizio Romano dropped a late-night update on the situation.
Fabrizio Romano drops late-night Fermin Lopez to Chelsea transfer update
In a late-night upload on his YouTube channel, Romano shared that Lopez has not told Barcelona that he wants to leave and the club believe that the player will stay. And they have also made it clear that they will not accept a €40 million offer for someone of his calibre.
But if Lopez informs Barcelona that he wants to leave, then a real negotiation can start. That had not happened as of last night. The situation depends on the player.
Let's see how things go from here. It does not take long for things to change in the transfer window, as we have already seen with Simons situation, who joined Tottenham Hotspur after being linked to and agreeing personal terms with Chelsea.
One very interesting aspect of this Lopez transfer saga has been the stance of Barcelona. Throughout, the media briefing has been that the situation depends on the player. At no point has the exit been ruled out completely. So, one has to wonder if the Spanish club are open to the idea if the right offer is made
It should not come as a surprise if that is the case. Barcelona's financial issues in recent years are not a secret to anybody and a big transfer fee would help them.