Chelsea have not yet sent an official bid to Barcelona for midfielder Fermin Lopez, and Spanish media reports stated that the deal was nowhere near being sealed despite the transfer deadline approaching fast.
According to a report in Mundo Deportivo, the 22-year-old La Masia graduate will only be allowed to leave if he himself tells the club that he wishes to move on. The report also stated that Barcelona will not compromise on their asking price for the youngster. It claimed that Barça are aware of the kind of money Chelsea and other Premier League giants have spent on talents of Lopez's age and calibre and will not discuss any sum below €70 million.
When the London club learned of this development, it also decided to make some tough choices. Chelsea have reportedly given the Spaniard a 48-hour ultimatum to decide whether he wants to come to England or not. If he fails to officially inform the club of his decision to leave within two days, the offer will be off the table. Otherwise, the Blues will present a formal proposal to the Catalan club, Mundo Deportivo said.
Watch this and tell me if you want Fermin Lopez at Chelsea 🙌pic.twitter.com/u4arAfdkSh
— 𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 (@badboy_jerry) August 26, 2025
It will be interesting to see which way this deal goes, and the key factor will be whether Lopez wants a switch or not. He had a fairly efficient 2024-25 La Liga season with six goals and five assists from 28 games, playing a pivotal part in Barcelona's title-winning campaign.
Chelsea has emerged as one of the biggest players in the summer transfer market. So far, it has invested nearly €280 million in 18 players, although it has balanced its books with a similar income thanks to 23 departures. Notable signings include Joao Pedro (€64 million), Gittens (€56 million), Hato (€45 million), Delap (€35.5 million), and Estevao (€34 million). There is also the possibility of Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho making a move to Stamford Bridge.
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It must be noted that Chelsea were also actively seeking to gain the services of RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons, and at the moment, that deal also seems to be a possibility. If Chelsea do sign Xavi, they might opt out of the Lopez deal for now. However, with Chelsea, you are never sure as they could want to create a "casting coup" by signing both players.
