Man Utd plan to show up Chelsea as INEOS ‘willing to offer €100m’ for Spanish ‘superstar’ | OneFootball

After Chelsea’s unsuccessful attempt to sign Fermin Lopez from Barcelona in the summer of 2025, Manchester United are ready to go big and bring the Spanish star to Old Trafford, according to a report.

According to Estadio Deportivo, Man Utd are ‘preparing a record offer’ for Lopez, who has been one of the stars for Barcelona this season.

The 22-year-old, who has established himself in the Barcelona first team after coming through the club’s youth academy, has scored 12 goals and given 16 assists in 39 matches in all competitions this season.

The attacking midfielder is under contract at Barcelona until the summer of 2031, having signed a new deal only in late January 2026.

However, that has not deterred Man Utd, who are said to be ready to make a €100million (£86.5m) offer for the Barcelona star.

Man Utd ‘would be willing to offer up to €100 million to try and sign the Spanish international’, according to the report in Estadio Deportivo, which has added: ‘This is a figure worthy of a superstar for a player’.

The Premier League club ‘particularly value’ Lopez’s ‘versatility and ability to influence different phases of the game’.

‘He not only participates in the build-up play, but also frequently appears in scoring positions and provides continuity in the attack,’ added the report.

However, Barcelona are in no mood to sell Lopez and will not consider the potential offer of €100m (£86.5m) from Chelsea for Lopez.

Lopez himself is not itching to leave Barcelona, with the Spain international feeling ‘comfortable’ at the club.

It seems that Man Utd’s plan to sign Lopez in the summer of 2026 could end in bitter disappointment, just as it happened for Chelsea in 2025.

According to ESPN, Chelsea tried to sign Lopez from Barcelona in the summer of 2025, but no move materialised.

BBC Sport even reported on September 1, 2025, that Lopez was ‘subject to an offer’ from Chelsea and was ‘weighing up the chance to move to Stamford Bridge’.

In the end, Lopez decided to stay at Barcelona and signed a new deal in January 2026.

Upon signing the contract extension until 2031, Lopez said: “I am very happy and for a lad who has loved Barca since he was little, it’s a dream to have made it to the first team. I live for Barca.

“I hope to make the Barca fans happy and make history at FC Barcelona. It would be a dream to end my career here.”