Fermin Shines on the Pitch, Barcelona's Young Midfielder Shows World-Class Ability After Nearly Joining Chelsea on a Low Fee Last Year

On September 8, 2026 Beijing time, renowned journalist David Sanchez discussed Barcelona's impressive performances this season on a program and gave high praise to 23-year-old midfielder Fermin. Sanchez believes that although much of the outside attention has focused on Yamal and Raphinha, Fermin is actually one of the true souls of this Barcelona team.

After four rounds of the new La Liga season, defending champions Barcelona have won all their matches, topping the table with 17 goals scored and only 2 conceded, showing remarkable attacking power. In such an attack-minded team, Fermin Lopez's performances have been particularly eye-catching. He has already contributed 4 goals and 2 assists in the first four matches of the new season. Especially in the recently completed away match against Valencia, Fermin started and played 75 minutes, scoring one goal and providing two assists, eventually receiving an 8.9 rating and sharing the man-of-the-match honor.

In that match, besides creating two assists, Fermin recorded a game-high six successful dribbles and four key passes. He also won four of seven ground duels while hitting the crossbar with one shot, displaying impressive ability. Although he wears the No. 7 shirt, he actually performs the responsibilities of a No. 10 role on the pitch, showing the qualities of a unique attacking focal point. Sanchez commented: "Fermin is an outstanding player. Whether at Barcelona or with the national team, he is an indispensable starter. With his passion and determination, he can provide key assists while also possessing excellent scoring ability. He is a very complete attacking option."

Fermin Lopez was born in May 2003 and is currently 23 years old. His achievements are closely linked to Barcelona's La Masia academy. He played for Barcelona's youth teams and, after spending a season on loan, returned to join the first team in 2023, producing an impressive debut-season record of 11 goals in 42 appearances. In the following 2024/25 season, he recorded 8 goals and 9 assists in 46 matches. In the summer of 2024, Fermin made his national team debut and helped Spain win the European Championship in Germany.

It is worth noting that the rising star nearly transferred in the summer of 2025. At that time, Premier League giants Chelsea offered Barcelona 40 million euros, and Barcelona considered selling him due to financial pressure. However, Fermin insisted on staying at Camp Nou, and the failed deal allowed Barcelona to retain a highly promising midfielder. Last season, Fermin took advantage of the opportunity and delivered an outstanding record of 13 goals and 17 assists in 48 matches, helping Barcelona win the La Liga and Spanish Super Cup double. His market value also surged from 50 million euros at the time to 100 million euros now, making him Barcelona's fourth player valued in the hundred-million-euro range after Yamal, Pedri, and Cubarsi.

Unfortunately, in the 37th round of last season's La Liga, Fermin suffered a serious injury. A fracture in his right foot required surgery, preventing him from participating in the summer's FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico and missing the chance to compete for the trophy. However, Fermin did not lose motivation and instead has shown even better form in the new season. As Sanchez said, Fermin is now worth at least 150 million euros, and his decision to stay at Barcelona helped the club retain a world-class midfielder with unlimited potential.