Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez, giving the 22-year-old just 48 hours to make a decision on his future – www.naijnaira.com reports.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo revealed that Barcelona will only consider selling if Lopez himself requests an exit and a club matches their €70 million valuation.
Chelsea have already tested the waters with a €50 million bid, but the offer was swiftly dismissed by the Catalan club.
Manager Hansi Flick has made it clear he views Lopez as part of Barcelona’s plans this season, describing him as “important after what he showed in the run-in last year.”
The Spanish international recently signed a contract extension that ties him to Camp Nou until 2029, giving Barca little pressure to sell.
Chelsea, however, remain aggressive in the transfer market, having already spent close to €280 million on new arrivals this summer.
Their latest spree included signings such as Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Liam Delap, and teenage talent Estevao Willian.
Executives at Stamford Bridge are prepared to test Barcelona’s resolve further, but they want a firm decision from Lopez before moving forward.
Barcelona, on the other hand, appear calm and expect him to stay unless a Premier League club delivers a huge bid.
The midfielder, who started on the bench during Barca’s 3-2 comeback against Levante, is now aiming for more minutes against Rayo Vallecano this weekend.
Article updated 2 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
