Barcelona midfielder confirms contract renewal imminent: ‘Things are going pretty well’ | OneFootball

Speaking to SPORT at a promotional event for Under Armour, Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez has confirmed that a new contract renewal is on track and that his full focus is on staying and succeeding at the club.

After a turbulent end to the summer, where he was ardently pursued by Chelsea, Fermin has become a key cog in Hansi Flick’s setup in the ongoing campaign.

With ten goals and ten assists to his name so far across all competitions, the 22-year-old is one of the Catalans’ most in-form players at the moment.

And the club have opted to reward his growth and performances with a new contract, even though he had penned a long-term deal until 2029 not very long ago.

An agreement in principle has been reached for a contract until 2031, with Fermin reportedly set for a 50% pay bump as well as a hike in his release clause amount.

Confirming that the renewal talks were on track, Fermin revealed: “Yes, things are going pretty well, there are still a few things to sort out, but I intend to stay at Barça, which is the most important thing for me.

“And the truth is that I hope it happens soon and I’m very happy.”

Asked about his prolific form, in which goals and assists seem to be coming easily for him, Fermin refused to take personal credit and focused on what he has always prioritised, the team.

Fermin is set to sign a new contract soon. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“I hope to help the team a lot. It’s not a goal I set for myself, but in the position I play, I know I have to score goals and provide assists to help the team, and hopefully I can do a lot more,” he said.

“Right now, I think this is my best year yet. I feel very confident in all aspects of the game and I try to show my qualities on the pitch. Hopefully, I can continue to do well with shots from outside the box,” Fermin added.

Fermin is battling with Dani Olmo for the attacking midfield role in Flick’s starting XI at Barcelona. But the youngster explained that competing for a place has not affected their personal relationship at any point.

“Very well, I have a very good relationship with Dani. He’s a great player and, at the end of the day, we’re at Barça and there’s always a lot of competition,” he acknowledged.

“I also think we can play together, we complement each other very well and I hope we can play together more often on the pitch, to be honest.”

Highlighting the team’s objective for the season, Fermin remarked: “We are Barça and I think we have a very good squad. I believe we can compete for everything and hopefully this year we can compete for big things.”

“We want to win everything,” he concluded.