Fermin Lopez to Newcastle United transfer twist as £34.6m offer ‘submitted’
Newcastle United have received a major development in their pursuit of Barcelona’s highly rated midfielder Fermín López, as Chelsea have now taken concrete steps to try and sign him. Reports from Spain and England suggest that the Blues have officially submitted a proposal to the Catalan giants in an attempt to secure the 22-year-old before the transfer window closes.
The Magpies are not alone in the race, with both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea also firmly in the running to land the Spanish international. López, who came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, has been one of the most talked-about young talents in La Liga over the past year, particularly after breaking into the first team and impressing under Xavi last season.
Despite the growing interest from Premier League clubs, current Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has made it clear that he does not want to lose the midfielder at such a crucial point in the campaign. Speaking about López’s future, Flick recently stated:
> “I don’t want to lose any players now, because it will be a tough season. The quality from Fermín is obvious, and he has continued from last season into this one with the same high level. I am very happy with him and the group we have, and I want to keep everyone together.”
Nevertheless, Chelsea appear determined to test Barcelona’s resolve. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano revealed on social media that the Blues have already tabled an initial written offer for López worth around €40 million (£34m). According to Romano, this proposal was sent immediately after Barça’s most recent fixture, with Chelsea now awaiting a response from the Spanish champions.
That bid, however, falls far short of the kind of money Newcastle are believed to be willing to put on the table. Spanish outlet El Chiringuito TV reported earlier this week that the Magpies would be prepared to pay in the region of £87 million (€100m) to prise López away from the Camp Nou. A package of that magnitude would undoubtedly force Barcelona to reconsider their stance, as it is more than double Chelsea’s opening bid.
Complicating matters further for Newcastle is their simultaneous hunt for reinforcements in attack. The Tyneside club recently splashed out £69 million to secure the signing of German striker Nick Woltemade, but with Alexander Isak strongly linked with a blockbuster move to Liverpool, Eddie Howe and the Newcastle board are keen to ensure they are not left short up front.
To that end, Newcastle have been pursuing deals for two more centre-forwards — Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen. Both players were notable absentees from their respective clubs’ Premier League matches at the weekend. Wissa has yet to feature for Brentford at all this season, although new Bees boss Keith Andrews has insisted he still expects the forward to remain in west London past deadline day.
Strand Larsen, meanwhile, was sidelined with what Wolves described as an injury and watched from the stands at Molineux as his side fell to a defeat against Everton. Newcastle have already seen multiple bids rejected for the Norwegian striker, with Wolves reluctant to lose him having already parted ways with key players earlier this summer.
The race for López, however, remains one of the biggest stories of the window. With Chelsea already making a formal move and Newcastle willing to go significantly higher, Barcelona may soon face a tough decision on whether to cash in on one of their brightest academy products or resist the temptation of a record sale.