Manchester United are now preparing an offer for a "fantastic" Barcelona ace, who has been in fine form in front of goal, and he could be an ideal option for Ruben Amorim, according to a report.
Man Utd and Ratcliffe eyeing a midfielder
It remains to be seen how much money Amorim will have available this summer, given that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has recently confirmed Man United are still paying for a number of failed signings from the past.
However, should they have the requisite funds, one position in which the Red Devils are clearly keen to strengthen is central midfield, having recently made an approach to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson as a potential replacement for Casemiro.
United have also been known to be interested in Frenkie De Jong for quite some time, however, it seems as though it is a different Barcelona midfielder who could be pursued at the end of the season.
According to a report from Spain, Man United have identified Fermin Lopez as a possible signing, and they are now in the process of preparing an offer for the Barcelona star.
FC Barcelona's Fermin Lopez in action with Las Palmas' Stefan Bajcetic
The impact Lopez has made at the Camp Nou has caught the Red Devils' eye, having displayed a keen eye for goal, and he is viewed as an ideal target to bolster Amorim's midfield options.
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That said, a big offer may have to be submitted to tempt the La Liga side into a sale, given that they currently have no intention of letting the 21-year-old leave easily, and he remains happy at Camp Nou.
"Fantastic" Lopez impressing in La Liga
The youngster has received regular game time for Barcelona this season, making 28 appearances in all competitions, during which time he has impressed on the front foot, collecting five goals and five assists.
The Spaniard's goalscoring ability may have caught the eye at the Olympics, but he also ranks very highly on some other key metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, suggesting he is a solid all-round midfielder.
Statistic Average per 90
Non-penalty goals 0.62 (98th percentile)
Pass-completion rate 81.9% (86th percentile)
Tackles 1.96 (90th percentile)
That said, considering Barca consider the £65k-per-week academy graduate a key part of their future project, it may be difficult for United to get a deal done, particularly in light of the ongoing financial difficulties at Old Trafford.
Moreover, bringing in a top striker should be the number one priority in the summer window, given that Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund have just five Premier League goals between them this season.