Expert insight
From €50m to €100m – Fermín López has been crucial to Barcelona’s LaLiga success this season
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Barcelona have an exceptional opportunity to win the LaLiga title in ideal circumstances this weekend, as they lock horns with Real Madrid in El Clásico on Sunday at the Camp Nou. Hansi Flick’s team will only need to avoid defeat in the match to be crowned Spanish champions in front of their own fans, and clinch consecutive league titles for the first time since 2019. Several factors and exceptional players have helped Barca along the way in their league campaign this season, but one player in particular stands out above all others in the middle of the pitch.
Market Value
F. López
Attacking Midfield
€100.00m
Indeed, while he may not be Barcelona’s most valuable player or even their most recognisable star, no player in Flick’s squad has gained more market value this season than attacking midfielder Fermín López. Although the young La Masia graduate has been a first-team regular for the Catalan giants for three seasons, this season has seen him step into a more prominent role in the starting XI and as such, his market value has doubled to €100 million since the start of the season. That €50m increase is unrivalled across LaLiga, with Real Madrid star Arda Güler (+€45m) coming closest. So what is behind López’s meteoric rise at Barca? On this week’s Market Values podcast, we sat down with LaLiga expert Iván Fuente to find out more.
"Well, he's really talented, but he's this kind of player that you want to have in your team because he's talented, obviously, but he works a lot,” said Fuente when asked about López's immediate appeal. “ He's always run and run and run and run, and never gives up.” Indeed, according to Opta the young Spanish international is top of Flick’s squad for tackles won per 90 minutes, alongside his remarkable 13 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season. In many ways, López has not only added an extra dimension to Barca’s attack but has also stepped in as a much-needed replacement for ball-winning midfielder Gavi, who has missed most of the season due to a horrid ACL injury.
Stats
F. López
Attacking Midfield
FC Barcelona
134
32
28
When asked if López has been a big help in Barca replacing Gavi this season, Fuente is in full agreement. "Yeah, he has the soul of a warrior that always pushes, always keeps running, annoying the other team, the player who had the ball,” noted the LaLiga expert. “So yeah, I think he's this kind of player like Gavi." But the midfielder isn’t simply just a stop-gap in Flick’s plans while they wait for Gavi to get back up to speed. According to Fuente, López has had his eye set on playing for the Barca first team since he first joined La Masia and is clearly wasting no time in establishing himself as a key player for the Spanish giants.
“There is a story that after he was at La Masia, he moved to Linares, who are a club that play in the fourth tier of Spanish football,” added Fuente. “But at that time, he was always working a lot, always focused on the games, doing a really good job. And a player who played alongside him said that at that time López already knew that he would be in the Barcelona first team one day.” Despite only being 19 years old at the time and having just signed his first professional contract with Barca, López then went on to bag an impressive 12 goals and four assists in 37 games for the lower league side. That, undoubtedly, was a taste of things to come. And, to the delight of Barcelona fans, López has forged ahead with his plans to become a star for his boyhood club and, along the way, has helped the club to another league title. It just remains to be seen whether he can provide the all-important goal or assist that clinches the title against Real Madrid on Sunday.
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