Fermin Lopez's heart "belongs to Barcelona", according to the Catalan outfit's head coach Hansi Flick, who has played down suggestions that the midfielder could leave Camp Nou.
Chelsea are currently being heavily linked with a move for the Spain international, and it is believed to be possible that he could join the Blues before Monday's transfer deadline.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, both Barcelona and Chelsea are currently in the dark when it comes to the attacker's plans when it comes to his duture.
“Chelsea and Barca are both waiting to see what Fermin Lopez wants to do,” Romano said on his YouTube channel. “In Spain, the media said he would release a statement on Friday clarifying his future but he didn’t do that, let’s see what happens on Saturday.”
Fermin is expected to be involved in Barcelona's La Liga clash with Rayo Vallecano on Sunday night unless there are any serious developments in the coming hours.
Barcelona's Fermin Lopez on August 10, 2025
Flick "convinced" Fermin will remain at Barcelona
Flick has said that he is "convinced" Fermin will remain at Camp Nou past the transfer deadline.
"For the moment, he’s here. I’ve spoken to him and I’m convinced he’ll stay. I’ll be very happy when the transfer window closes,” Flick told reporters during his press conference on Saturday.
“I told him my opinion, but I’ll keep it to myself. There are people who know more about what’s going on. It’s a business, but I’m focused on my team. He has shown many times how important he is to us. He can help us a lot.
"At the beginning of the week, he was different to how he is now. I see him as more focused. For me, he’s in a good place.
“Fermin is a very aggressive player, with and without the ball. He’s very good at running into space behind the defence and creating space.
"He’s a great player. He scores goals and provides the final pass. When he’s in the right frame of mind, he’s brilliant. He loves Barca, and I don’t want to say too much more, but his heart belongs to Barcelona.”
Barcelona's Fermin Lopez kisses the badge against Valencia on January 26, 2025
Will Fermin leave Barcelona before the transfer deadline?
There has been talk surrounding Fermin's future throughout the summer, with Manchester United also believed to be huge admirers of the 22-year-old, who has 19 goals and 11 assists in 89 matches for his Catalan side.
Fermin has competition from Dani Olmo when it comes to the number 10 spot this season, and he is not a certain starter, which is thought to be concerning for him in a World Cup year.
The decision is seemingly up to Fermin, with Chelsea ready to bid if it becomes clear that he wants to leave, but it does appear that he will be remaining at Camp Nou past the transfer deadline.
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