Chelsea may have to wait for Fermin Lopez’s decision following their official bid for the Barcelona star ahead of the deadline.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Fermin Lopez may have a decision on his hands on whether to stay at Barcelona or join Chelsea. The latter made an official offer for the attacking midfielder in the region of 40 million, with the Catalan club yet to comment on their stance over the proposal.
Chelsea are making some moves before the transfer window shuts, with Enzo Maresca’s side focused on improving their attack. There have been plenty of new arrivals for the attacking side at Stamford Bridge, but the Blues are not content with their window so far.
Chelsea have officially signed Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and presented the Argentine attacker to the Stamford Bridge audience before their game against Fulham. Enzo Maresca insisted that Garnacho was a winger, and it’s no surprise, as the club are still searching for an attacking midfielder profile.
Interestingly, Facundo Buonanotte is set to join the Blues on a loan deal, and it is confirmed that the signing is for the Premier League side rather than their French sister club Strasbourg. Yet, the links to Fermin Lopez fail to go away, as Chelsea have now made an official bid for the Barcelona star.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed Chelsea’s €40 million offer for Lopez, as they were waiting for Barcelona’s answer on the proposal. Some reports had stated the Catalans were demanding as much as €90 million, but those are still unconfirmed.
Barcelona have not given a clear-cut rebuttal on the €40 million offer, although they are likely to demand significantly more should Lopez agree to the transfer. Earlier reports stated Lopez was indeed open to joining Chelsea, but the attacking midfielder is yet to decide on his immediate future.
Fermin Lopez’s decision key to the Chelsea move
Romano also stated that Barcelona have no intention to sell Lopez, although they insist that the attacking midfielder’s decision could be the final straw. The Catalans are still embroiled in financial issues that need solving before they can register new signings such as Joan Garcia and Marcus Rashford.
Lopez is expected to arrive with his decision, as there’s a good chance he will stick with Barcelona for the foreseeable future. There’s also a probability of Chelsea getting their wish, although at that stage, Barcelona will expect them to improve on the €40 million offer significantly.