Pep Guardiola doesn't give up, the coach from Santpedor has once again set his sights on one of FC Barcelona's most valued gems. After seeing how the blaugrana club closed the door on him for Dani Olmo, Manchester City's manager has changed his target. Now, he wants to sign one of the biggest revelations of the season: Fermín López.
The midfielder from Huelva has won over Camp Nou with outstanding performances; his grit, runs into the box, and commitment have made him an important piece for Hansi Flick. Not for nothing, he has been one of the most used players by the Egarense coach in the final stretch of the campaign. A homegrown player who has more than delivered every time he has been draftedon.
Guardiola, alert to any talent emerging from La Masia, already has detailed reports on Fermín. He likes his versatility, his ability to play in several midfield positions, and above all, his winning mentality. For City, he would be a bet for both the present and the future, and they are willing to make a firm offer.
They don't want Fermín to leave
At Barça, however, they don't want to part with Fermín; from the sporting management, they consider him a homegrown gem. Moreover, his profile fits perfectly with the club's new policy: betting on young talent, trained at home, and with potential. Joan Laporta and Deco understandthat selling him would be a hard blow for the fans and for the sporting project.
The problem, as always, is Financial Fair Play; Barça needs income, and offers like City's could shake up the initial plans. According to sources close to the matter, the English side would be willing to offer between €35 and €40 million (between $38.6M and $44M). A figure that would make more than one person at the club's offices think twice.
There are no official contacts
For now, there haven't been any official contacts, but Fermín's camp is already aware of Pep Guardiola's team's interest. Although the player is happy at FC Barcelona, he is also very aware that a call from Manchester City could be a train that's hard to turn down. Even more so if Pep himself insists on having him as one of the main attractions for his team.
From England, they claim that Guardiola wants to renew his squad with young players hungry for titles, and the Andalusian fits that profile perfectly. At 21 years old, he has already shown maturity, quality, and leadership. His progress has been meteoric, and City believe he still has room for improvement and that he can become a star.
Meanwhile, Barça plan to offer him a contract improvement; Fermín has a release clause of €400 million ($441M), but his salary is far below that of other teammates. The club want to secure him, reward his performance, avoid temptations from outside, and reward Fermín's loyalty as much as Dani Olmo's, who turned down a move to City.