FC Barcelona rejects an offer of €140M for Fermín

The FC Barcelona transfer market once again has Fermín López, a 23-year-old midfielder, in the spotlight. Manchester United is reportedly willing to offer 140 million euros to sign him as a potential long-term replacement for Bruno Fernandes, but Barcelona's position is to refer to his release clause, as reported by El Nacional de Catalunya.

The amount represents a much higher bid compared to figures previously discussed around the player in previous transfer windows, although there's still no official confirmation of an offer being made between the clubs. The main hurdle for United is contractual: Fermín renewed his contract in January 2026 and is tied to Barça until June 30, 2031.

FC Barcelona Refers to Fermín López's Release Clause

The stance attributed to Joan Laporta does not involve negotiating the 140 million euros that Manchester United could offer. Joan Laporta wants to keep the player, and any potential departure would need to meet his release clause.

That contractual protection amounts to 500 million euros. FC Barcelona initially set that figure when renewing the midfielder's contract until 2029 in October 2024, and the release clause remained unchanged when the contract was later extended until 2031.

Therefore, the 140 million euros linked to Manchester United would only be 28% of that clause. The difference reflects the current gap between the amount the English club might be willing to offer and the stance attributed to the Barcelona board.

Manchester United Considers Fermín for the Future

The English interest is tied to their midfield planning. Manchester United sees the player as a long-term offensive option and recent reports present him as a potential successor to Bruno Fernandes.

Fermín has also started the 2026/27 season with direct attacking impact. In his first five LaLiga matches, he has scored four goals and provided two assists in 371 minutes, starting in four games.

These stats come after finishing the last season with six goals and nine assists in 30 games. His renewal until 2031 came after establishing himself in the first team and the club improving the conditions of his contract signed earlier until 2029.

FC Barcelona Doesn't Need to Negotiate His Departure

The contract's duration allows FC Barcelona to handle the interest from a position of control. The player has nearly five seasons left on his contract, and the club has a 500 million euros clause, so there's no immediate contractual need to accept an offer.

The next move is now up to Manchester United. Reports suggest their potential offer could reach up to 140 million euros, but it remains to be seen if this intention will translate into a formal bid. If the English club decides to proceed, FC Barcelona currently maintains a clear condition: any departure of Fermín must align with very different conditions from those currently discussed.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El FC Barcelona rechaza una oferta de 140M€ por Fermín