‘Soap Opera Is Over’—Fermin Lopez, Chelsea Make Final Transfer Decision

The dramatic speculation surrounding Barcelona’s Fermín López has reportedly drawn to a close. The 22-year-old will not be joining Chelsea on deadline day due to a lack of enthusiasm on both sides of any potential deal, it has emerged.

The versatile Spain international emerged as a serious target for the free-spending Blues in recent weeks. Following their failure to seal a switch for Tottenham Hotspur-bound Xavi Simons, Chelsea expanded their pool of creative targets.

The freshly crowned Club World Cup champions made a formal bid for Fermín worth a reported €40 million (£34.6 million; $46.7 million) over the weekend.

Fermín is said to have “had doubts” over what his next career move should be, Mundo Deportivo claim, as Chelsea’s interest became apparent. The club’s academy graduate is far from a guaranteed starter for Hansi Flick’s domestic champions and has been shunted further down the pecking order by the summer arrival of Marcus Rashford.

Fermín López has caught the eye of Chelsea. | Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images

However, amid this uncertainty, Fermín never asked Barcelona to leave and communicated his desire to stay on the eve of transfer deadline day, bringing an end to this particular “soap opera.” In a separate report from The Athletic, it was claimed that Chelsea have opted against pursuing a deal.

Barcelona supposedly didn’t even respond to the club’s initial €40 million offer having made it abundantly clear that they value Fermín at €90 million.

Chelsea are expected to shift their focus onto Brighton & Hove Albion playmaker Facundo Buonanotte as a far cheaper—if less glamorous—recruit.

While the Argentine creator may lack Fermín’s swollen trophy cabinet, he boasts 71 appearances worth of Premier League experience. The Rosario Central academy product joined Brighton in January 2023 for a modest sum of €6 million, racking up 50 appearances for the Seagulls over the subsequent 18 months before spending last season on loan with relegation-bound Leicester City.

Buonanotte is set to arrive initially on loan as Chelsea seek to bolster their squad with enough creative talent to lighten the burden ladled upon Cole Palmer.