Football General Manager
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- Barca reach Lopez decision
- Catalans in need of cash influx amid financial woes
- Chelsea ready to splash €75 million on midfielder
Barcelona are in desperate need of money from player sales in a bid to return to La Liga’s 1:1 financial rule, and have been linked with a number of exits for players such as Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Lopez. However, the Catalans have made their stance clear on the young midfielder’s future amid heavy interest from Europe and Saudi Arabia.
A report from AS claims that Barca have decided that Lopez is not for sale this summer, despite Chelsea’s willingness to splash €75 million (£65m/$87m). Head coach Hansi Flick considers his La Masia graduate to be an indispensable member of his squad and will continue to count on him in midfield for the 2025-26 season. As for Lopez, he is happy with his current role at the Spanish champions and is determined to stay in Catalunya.
Lopez has impressed for Barca, despite not being a regular in the starting XI. The youngster has earned the reputation of being a potent box-crasher with a hunger to score goals. His displays have caught the attention of clubs in Europe and beyond. Indeed, in addition to interest from the Blues, Bayern Munich are also believed to have been keeping tabs on the Spaniard. Saudi giants Al-Ahli were also reported to have tabled a massive offer for Lopez, while Serie A outfit Inter have also been linked with the 22-year-old.
Lopez will link up with his Barca team-mates for pre-season training next week. The Catalans are set to travel to South Korea and Japan ahead of the start of the 2025-26 season, with their first friendly of the summer scheduled for July 27 against Vissel Kobe.
