Barcelona midfielder Fermín López has admitted he has no desire to leave the club either now or in the future, brushing off interest from Premier League giants Chelsea.
After declining to move for Xavi Simons, who went on to join Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea reportedly made a late bid for Fermín valued at €40 million (£34.6 million, $46.9 million), but Barcelona wasted little time in turning down the approach.
Fermín has since pledged his commitment to Barcelona but reports continue to link the 22-year-old with a move to Chelsea, perhaps even as early as January, with much likely to depend on the minutes handed to him by manager Hansi Flick.
Sunday’s dominant 6–0 win over Valencia was Fermín’s second start of the season and brought two goals for the midfielder, after which he insisted he plans to do whatever he can to build himself a future in Catalonia.
“It’s true that I’ve been calm,” he explained. “Not everything that’s been said is true, I don’t want to get into that.
“My intention has always been to be here for many years. I never had any doubts. There’s always been speculation, I’ve always wanted to be here, and I’ll fight to be here for many years.”
In response to Fermín’s dazzling performance, Flick confessed the young midfielder is on the right track to earn himself more minutes.
“For me, today was a big step,” Flick began. “It’s what I want to see every game.
“On the pitch, he’s very aggressive against the ball and wins a lot of duels, but he’s also incredible with the ball. He showed that today, and when you have that confidence, it’s really great. I think he can also improve a little and stay more calm. Maybe in some situations, not tunnel like he did and just play normally. He has to improve, but he’s on the right path.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘My Intention’—Fermin Lopez Addresses Talk of Chelsea January Transfer.