Chelsea are reportedly ready to go ‘all in’ to sign Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.
Since moving to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City, Cole Palmer has established himself as an undisputed starter, helping his side win the Club World Cup and Conference League.
The Blues attempted to sign a new creative midfielder last summer to support the Englishman. A plethora of names were linked with a move, with Lopez being one of them. Eventually, they decided to sign Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton and Hove Albion on a loan deal.
However, the Argentinian has struggled to find regular game time thus far this season. So, it is highly unlikely that they will secure his service permanently at the end of this season.
Now, Fichajes state that Chelsea are considering signing a new No.10 this year and are ‘determined’ to buy Lopez, having been impressed by his recent eye-catching performances.
The 22-year-old’s existing deal is set to run until 2029; therefore, the Blaugrana aren’t in any rush to sell him, and Chelsea are preparing to submit a formal £130m bid to persuade the Catalan giants to let him leave.
Barcelona would be ready to sell him for that money amid their financial difficulties to balance the books and reinforce other areas of the squad.
Lopez to Chelsea
The 22-year-old has been showcasing his qualities for Barcelona in recent years, helping them win the domestic treble last term. He made 17 goal contributions across all competitions last season.
This campaign, he has almost matched his last term’s tally already, making 16 goal contributions. He even guided the Catalan giants to beat Athletic Club 5-0 in the Supercopa de España semi-final in midweek by scoring a goal and registering two assists.
Lopez is a creative midfielder by trait, but is also efficient out wide. He is a technically gifted, energetic player and works hard without possession.
He has proven his worth in La Liga in recent times and would be a great coup for Chelsea should they purchase him. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the West London club eventually make a concrete approach to lure him away from Camp Nou in January or next summer.
