According to a report from MundoDeportivo, Chelsea’s proposed swap deal for Fermin Lopez has been turned down by Barcelona. The Blues are keen on signing the Spanish midfielder and they were ready to offer Christopher Nkunku as a part of the deal but the Catalan giants have rejected the proposal.
Lopez has come up the ranks at Barcelona. He got promoted to their first team in the summer of 2023 and has since gone on to establish himself as an important squad player.
While he is not yet a guaranteed starter under Hansi Flick, he has certainly made the most out of the limited opportunities he has had. The 22-year-old was involved in 46 matches across competitions. He racked up over 2,000 minutes of first-team action and ended up contributing towards 18 goals.
Despite competing with the likes of Gavi and Dani Olmo for a place in the XI, Lopez has certainly done a great job. His performances haven’t gone unnoticed and there are quite a few top clubs who want to sign the Spanish international.
Chelsea are one of the clubs that are interested in the Olympic gold medalist. Enzo Maresca is a massive admirer of the 22-year-old and wants to have him at his disposal. He feels the Spaniard could be an ideal fit for his system as well as their project.
They seek more quality in midfield and he could certainly help solve quite a few of their problems. The London club recently proposed a swap deal to Barcelona in an attempt to sign Lopez after failing with a significant financial offer. The Blues were ready to offer Christopher Nkunku a straight swap to sign the La Masia graduate.
Despite not having a prominent role at Chelsea last season, the 27-year-old still ended up contributing towards 19 goals. While his contract at the London club runs until 2029, he wants a more prominent role and is ready to leave the club.
Chelsea are also ready to cash in on him and they were looking to offer him to Barcelona, who are on the lookout for a new forward. However, the Catalan giants’ president Joan Laporta and their manager Hansi Flick have both rejected the proposal of signing Nkunku for Lopez.
Flick wants to have the 22-year-old around as he is a very important squad player for him. They won’t entertain an offer for him unless the player asks to leave the club. While they want a forward, their priority target is Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and they have no interest in Nkunku.
