A star offers to be Flick's number 9
The blaugrana team does not have a center forward in the squad after the departures of Lewandowski and Ferran.
Fermín López has formally offered to play as a false nine at FC Barcelona due to the absences suffered by the blaugrana team. Fermín could be the "Barcelona's signing" for their offense.
Following the departures of Robert Lewandowski as a free agent to the Chicago Fire and Ferran Torres to PSG in exchange for 50 million euros, the azulgrana team does not have a pure striker in the squad while the potential signing of Julián Álvarez remains stalled by the Atlético de Madrid board.
Hansi Flick's alternatives with Fermín and the mobile attack variant
In an interview with Diari ARA, Fermín stated that he is ready to take on the offensive responsibility if the club does not finalize a striker before the market closure. "I can adapt, yes. I already played as a false nine in Barcelona's youth categories. It's a position similar to my favorite, which is attacking midfielder," explained the Andalusian, adding that Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Dani Olmo, and Raphinha are also viable options to play inside.
Hansi Flick's coaching staff is considering using Fermín as an initial solution due to the economic complexity in closing deals for candidates like Ayoze Pérez, Nicolo Tresoldi, or Georges Mikautadze. The versatility of the 23-year-old player allows FC Barcelona to maintain a competitive structure without making hasty expenditures before September 1.
The stance on Julián Álvarez and FC Barcelona's plans in the market
When asked about the possible arrival of Julián Álvarez at Spotify Camp Nou, Fermín expressed that the 26-year-old forward "would fit very well into our squad," although he chose not to delve into a player with a valid contract in Madrid. The FC Barcelona board considers the 'Araña' a top priority after having their initial offer of 100 million euros rejected by the red and white club.
If FC Barcelona cannot resolve the negotiations with the Madrid club, the sports management will seek the signing of a low-cost backup striker as a game-changer. In this scenario, Flick will entrust Fermín with the starting position in a system without a fixed area reference.
The FC Barcelona leadership will hold a working meeting on Wednesday, August 19, to make a decision regarding the forward line. If Atlético de Madrid does not lower their transfer demands, the coach will test Fermín as a false nine in the next tactical training session before the official debut in LaLiga.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un crack se ofrece a ser el 9 de Flick