Hansi Flick reportedly does not want Barcelona to part ways with 21-year-old Spanish playmaker Fermin Lopez amid his links with Aston Villa and Liverpool.

According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Aston Villa and Liverpool are interested in signing Fermin Lopez from Barcelona in the summer transfer window. However, Hansi Flick has blocked the Spanish playmaker’s departure, with the German tactician viewing the youngster as a long-term asset for his project.

Fermin Lopez: The latest La Masia graduate taking Spanish football by storm

Fermin Lopez is the latest highly-rated prospect to emanate from Barcelona’s fabled La Masia setup. A native of El Campillo, the Spaniard spent his formative years in his homeland, starting his youth career in his hometown before representing Recreativo de Huelva and Real Betis in age-group football. However, he graduated from the academy at FC Barcelona, having joined the Blaugrana in July 2016.

The 21-year-old broke into the first-team squad at FC Barcelona at the onset of the 2023/24 season, with the Catalan club’s financial issues forcing them to turn to the academy. Lopez followed Gavi, Alejandro Balde, and others to establish a foothold in the senior setup, and he has not looked back since then.

The Spanish playmaker has been exceptional in the 2024/25 season, even though he has not been a regular for Barcelona. The youngster has chipped in with five goals and eight assists in only 1,393 minutes of game time across 34 appearances in all competitions. Lopez’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe, including Aston Villa and Liverpool.

The interest in Lopez

Aston Villa’s interest in Fermin Lopez is understandable. The Villans are scouring the market for a creative midfielder heading into the summer transfer window to reduce the dependence on Morgan Rogers. So, the Barcelona prospect has emerged as a viable target for Aston Villa.

As for Liverpool, the 21-year-old Spaniard has been on the Merseyside club’s radar for a long time. With Trent Alexander-Arnold closing in on leaving the Reds as a free agent, they need some creativity from the midfield. So, the Barcelona playmaker is an option worth considering for Liverpool. However, the two Premier League clubs must look elsewhere, with Hansi Flick blocking his exit.

The German tactician views Lopez as a long-term asset for his project. In addition, turning the highly-rated Spanish playmaker’s head was a tall order. So, Aston Villa and Liverpool will unlikely land the Barcelona prospect in the summer transfer window after Flick’s intervention.