Manchester United is making strides in the transfer market after securing Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro. Their next target is Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, with the club preparing to submit a bid for the Dutch defender.
In addition, reports from the Catalan publication Nacional indicate that Manchester United is set to offer £33.7 million to Barcelona for Fermin Lopez. The young midfielder has gained prominence under Xavi Hernandez over the past year.
Last month, SPORT reported that Manchester United had made an initial bid of £25.4 million for Lopez, which was rejected by Barcelona.
According to Nacional, Barcelona is determined to keep Lopez and has no intention of selling him. The club has reportedly set his release clause at €400 million, a figure that is clearly meant to deter potential buyers. This astronomical amount signifies Barcelona’s firm stance that Lopez is not for sale.
Lopez, who has only made one appearance in Euro 2024, is recognized for his unique goal-scoring ability from midfield. However, it is unlikely that any club will meet his release clause. This hefty price tag is Barcelona’s way of emphasizing their desire to retain their talented homegrown players.
Despite financial difficulties in recent years, Barcelona has been steadfast in holding onto their academy graduates rather than selling them for profit.
Lopez had an impressive season in La Liga, scoring eight goals. While £33.7 million seems a reasonable offer for the 21-year-old, offering more might not be justified at this point. Barcelona’s reluctance to negotiate suggests that Manchester United might need to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.
It appears that pursuing Lopez further would be futile, given Barcelona’s firm position. Manchester United may be better off redirecting their efforts toward more attainable targets in the transfer market.
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