Arsenal made an approach for Barcelona star in the summer

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Just Arsenal News

·28 September 2026

Arsenal made an approach for Barcelona star in the summer

Fermin Lopez is having a brilliant season at Barcelona as he takes advantage of the opportunities he gets to play for the club, but he could have been an Arsenal player this season.

Lopez is one of the top players in the Barcelona team, but there was speculation that he could be sold during the last transfer window, which attracted interest from Arsenal.

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Several other Premier League clubs also showed interest in his signature before he signed a new contract with Barcelona, but Footbal365 says his focus was always on staying at the club.

Arsenal Held Interest in Lopez

The report says Arsenal and two other Premier League clubs were keen to add Lopez to their squads and held discussions with both the player and Barcelona, but they could not convince him to leave.

After Lopez rejected their approaches, Arsenal turned their attention to other targets. The Gunners eventually strengthened their midfield by signing Bruno Guimaraes, who already has extensive experience in English football.

Arsenal do not feel they missed out on a better player by failing to sign Lopez, and they expect Guimaraes to settle into the team more quickly than Lopez might have done had they won the race for his signature.

The decision to focus on Guimaraes also means Arsenal have added a midfielder who already understands the demands of playing in the Premier League. Lopez, meanwhile, remains focused on continuing his development at Barcelona.

(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Arsenal Could Return for Lopez

There could still be an opportunity for Arsenal to add Lopez to their squad in the future, meaning their interest in the midfielder may not be over.

His decision to remain at Barcelona means Arsenal will have to wait if they want another opportunity to sign him. His continued performances could also ensure that interest from Premier League clubs remains strong.

For now, Arsenal have moved forward with Guimaraes, while Lopez continues to establish himself as an important player at Barcelona.

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