Chelsea are reportedly ready to go ‘all in’ to sign Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez, according to Spanish newspaper Transfers.
Since moving from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge, Cole Palmer has established himself as an undisputed starter, helping his side win the Club World Cup and Conference League.
The Blues tried to sign a new creative midfielder last summer to support the Englishman. A plethora of names were related to a move, Lopez being one of them. Ultimately, they decided to sign Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton and Hove Albion on loan.
However, the Argentinian has struggled to find regular playing time this season. So it is highly unlikely that they will secure his services permanently at the end of this season.
Now, Transfers claims Chelsea are considering signing a new number 10 this year and are ‘determined’ to buy Lopez as he has been impressed with his recent standout performances.
The 22-year-old’s existing contract runs until 2029; therefore, the Blaugrana are in no rush to sell him, with Chelsea preparing to make a formal £130 million bid to convince the Catalan giants to let him leave.
Barcelona are said to be willing to sell him for that amount of money amid their financial struggles to balance the books and strengthen other parts of the squad.
López to Chelsea
The 22-year-old has shown his qualities for Barcelona in recent years, helping them win the domestic treble last season. Last season he scored seventeen goals in all competitions.
This campaign he has already almost equaled his last term’s total, contributing 16 goals. He even guided the Catalan giants to 5-0 Athletic Club in the Supercopa de España semi-final in midweek, scoring a goal and registering two assists.
Lopez is a naturally creative midfielder, but is also efficient in width. He is a technically gifted, energetic player and works hard without the ball.
He has proven his worth in La Liga in recent times and would be a big step for Chelsea if they were to sign him. However, it will be interesting to see whether the west London club will ultimately make a concrete move to lure him away from Camp Nou in January or next summer.
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