The Fermín López case has been one of the most intense sagas of the summer at Camp Nou. For weeks, the possibility of seeing him leave for Chelsea was real and caused a media storm in Barcelona. However, the outcome has been very different: the midfielder has broken his silence and made his position clear.
The player from Huelva has explained the reasons that led him to reject the English offer and reaffirm his commitment to Barça. In England, they considered the deal practically done, but the footballer never had any real intention of leaving the club of his life. Now, with everything solved, he has told the whole truth.
Fermín López | @_ferminlopez
Chelsea's temptation
Chelsea put a multimillion-dollar offer on the table to convince him to move to London. The English club offered a contract worth €15 million ($16.3 million) gross per season, more than double what he earns at Barça. In addition, they were willing to make him the centerpiece of their new project, seeking a figure with international projection.
However, the financial offer was not enough. Fermín also considered the sporting context and Chelsea's conditions in recent years. He saw an unstable club, with massive signings and players who quickly go from prominence to oblivion. That scenario never inspired trust in him.
The closest example was Marc Guiu, who after signing for the Londoners was relegated to a marginal role. That experience, so close, weighed heavily in Fermín's final decision.
Fermín in a match with Barça | @FCBarcelona
Barça's position
Meanwhile, Joan Laporta was very clear from the start. The president set a negotiable starting price of €90 million ($97.8 million) for any deal. When Chelsea only reached €40 million ($43.5 million), the club understood that the sale made no sense.
Despite the difficult financial situation, the board did not want to project an image of weakness in the market. Fermín is considered a strategic asset and Flick sees him as a key piece in its plans. Losing him for a low price would have been a sporting and financial mistake.
In addition, Laporta personally told the player that they trusted him to lead the future. He asked him for patience, promising that at the end of the season they would review his contract.
Fermín López wants to play more | @FCBarcelona
The promise of improvement
In the internal negotiation, Fermín received a concrete commitment: to go from his current €6 million ($6.5 million) gross to €10 million ($10.9 million), with a progressive increase that would bring him closer to what Chelsea offered. An amount that, in the medium term, will reach €15 million ($16.3 million) gross per year if he signs for five seasons.
The player accepted it without hesitation, aware that the most important thing was stability and the sporting environment. At Barça, he feels he has a guaranteed place and Flick's full trust, something no other club could guarantee him.
Fermín celebrating a goal | @FCBarcelona
Fermín has made it clear with his words: "I'm staying at Barça because it's my home and I want to succeed here." For the midfielder, money was never the priority. What really tipped the scales was the feeling and the opportunity to keep growing at the team of his life.
The story with Chelsea is over. Fermín López will continue wearing the blaugrana and faces the season with a new goal: to establish himself as one of Barça's great leaders and earn a contract worthy of his value.
