The final few days of the summer transfer window were tense for Barcelona youngster Fermin Lopez, as Chelsea were making a strong push to sign him.There were murmurs that the player himself might cons...
The final few days of the summer transfer window were tense for Barcelona youngster Fermin Lopez, as Chelsea were making a strong push to sign him.
There were murmurs that the player himself might consider the possibility of a move, and the club could be open to his sale.
In the end, however, both Fermin and Barça decided that their partnership would remain intact and the Spanish attacking midfielder stayed put.
Having made a solid start to the season, including a brace against Valencia, Fermin has now been sidelined with a muscle injury, which will keep him out for three weeks.
Fermin discusses injury, life at Barcelona
Sitting down for an interview with RAC1 earlier today, Fermin opened up on his injury issue, confirming that the problem was not major and that he would be back in three weeks.
“Psoas, yes, it’s a muscle up here in the hip, although everything’s fine. Three weeks,” he confirmed.
Fermin is out injured. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder then revealed how he ended up joining Barcelona’s La Masia academy almost a decade ago, saying:
“Barça was interested in me when I was 11, but my father said no because I was too young. Two years later, the club called again, saying it was the last train.”
Discussing his early days at La Masia, Fermin revealed: “It was the worst day of my life, it was the first time I was leaving for good, I cried a lot and so did my parents.”
The player felt very supported in overcoming the hard times, as he said: “I had a group with Xavi Simons and a few others who were on the same team and we helped each other.”
The loan spell at Deportivo Linares in the 2022/23 season proved to be a key point in Fermin’s career, as his development there helped him earn a first-team breakthrough at Barcelona under Xavi Hernandez.
Reflecting on his time with the lower league club, Fermin said: “When they loaned me to Linares, I thought it was over. At first, it was a bit difficult for me because I left Barça, where I had everything. When I started playing, I changed my mindset.”
On the Chelsea rumours and reports of rift with Gavi
As mentioned earlier, Fermin was a prime target for Chelsea, who spared no effort to sign him late in the summer transfer window, only for the youngster to decide against a move.
When asked if he was close to leaving Barcelona for the Blues, Fermin clarified: “Not on the verge.”
Fermin never considered leaving. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The Spanish international then acknowledged that there were offers from London, but the thought of leaving Barça never entered his mind.
“There were offers from other clubs, but I never had any intention of leaving, and I don’t think the club wanted to sell me. I’ve been a Barça fan my whole life. Since I was little. It all comes from my mother’s uncle, who has always been a Barça fan,” he said.
Fermin also downplayed rumours of an alleged rift between himself and Barcelona teammate Gavi, with reports even suggesting that the two had come to blows during a training session.
“My relationship with Gavi is the same as always, we’ve known each other since we were 13, there’s no problem, a lot of things come out that aren’t true, like what was said about Ter Stegen and Szczesny. Nobody knows what goes on inside,” he revealed.
“He is one of my best friends in the locker room with Pedri, Balde, Eric, Dani…,” he added.
“If you are a footballer, you have to know that these things happen. Mentally, you have to work on it and be prepared. One day they tell you that you are the best and the next the worst. We are prepared, we are mature and intelligent,” Fermin noted.
Category: General Sports
