Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez revealed that he was completely unaware of curiosity from different golf equipment through the January switch window, insisting that his intention has all the time been to stay in Catalonia.
Lopez has needed to combat for his place in Barcelona’s first crew. As lately as 2023, the sprightly Spaniard was taking part in within the third tier of his nation’s soccer pyramid whereas on mortgage with Linares.
Xavi Hernandez included Lopez in Barcelona’s pre-season squad that summer time the place he impressed sufficient to earn a aggressive debut final time period. He has not appeared again since.
A fringe member of the Spain setup which received Euro 2024, Lopez scored eight league targets final season and already has 5 throughout all competitions below Hansi Flick’s steerage. Adept at crashing into the field from midfield, the 21-year-old reportedly attracted curiosity from Manchester United and Aston Villa throughout this 12 months’s winter window.
Each Premier League outfits had been considered keen to pay round €70m (£58m) for Lopez, solely to be resoundingly rebuffed.
Curiosity from any groups was information to Lopez. “I wasn’t conscious of the provides,” he informed SPORT this week. “I knew I wished to be right here, however it’s comforting that the membership did not wish to hearken to them and wished me right here, within the new challenge.”
Barcelona would have been in a position to generate pure revenue on any sale of Fermin given his standing as an academy product – a monetary enhance which might have helped a membership with well-documented financial points. However the powers that be in Catalonia clearly think about Lopez, who does not take that without any consideration.
“I do not know what to inform you,” the attacking midfielder gushed. “I am a tough employee, I am all the time out there for the crew and Xavi, [sporting director] Deco and now Hansi are serving to me and giving me confidence to point out my soccer. I am very grateful to them.”
