Aston Villa make contact to sign Barcelona star with £421m release clause
Aston Villa’s failure to qualify for the Champions League has not deterred the Birmingham outfit from making moves in the transfer window.
While PSR concerns may force Villa into early sales this summer, the Birmingham outfit are still looking to bring in signings.
Alessio Romagnoli is believed to be on Aston Villa’s radar as Unai Emery looks to improve his backline.
Diego Coppola is also a potential target for Villa in what could be a busy summer.
However, the Birmingham outfit are not done there and are now looking to make a blockbuster move this summer.
Aston Villa set to battle PSG for Fermin Lopez
Villa were linked to Fermin Lopez last summer, but despite rumours, a move never materialised.
As a result, the 22-year-old stayed at Barcelona and helped the Catalan side win La Liga and the Copa del Rey this season.
Lopez played a big part in these achievements, appearing 46 times in all competitions, as he netted eight times.
The youngster is highly rated in Spain and has a £421million release clause according to ESPN (31 October 2024).
| Fermin Lopez’s Barcelona career | |
| Appearances | 88 |
| Goals | 19 |
| Assists | 11 |
| Honours | La Liga x1, Copa del Rey x1, Supercopa de Espana x1 |
As a result, interest in the midfielder has increased, with Villa now aiming to bring the 22-year-old to England.
According to Sport via Sport Witness (8 June), Aston Villa have “made contact” with Barcelona over Lopez.
The Birmingham outfit face a battle for his signature, with PSG and Chelsea also tracking the midfielder.
However, Villa and the Champions League winners are showing the most interest at the moment.
Yet, despite these links, Lopez does not want to leave the Catalan club this summer.
Aston Villa cannot afford to go after players like Lopez
As good as Lopez is, Villa simply cannot afford to be going after players of his calibre given their current financial concerns.
A record transfer would likely be needed to bring in Lopez from Barcelona, given the interest from other clubs.
This is a risk Villa cannot afford to take, and Emery needs to be smarter in the window to improve his squad.
With Lopez unwilling to leave Barcelona this summer, thankfully, the transfer seems unlikely to happen.