Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez has dismissed speculation of a rift with team-mate Gavi and shed light on why he turned down a summer move to Chelsea.
Reports in Spain suggested tensions had grown between the two La Masia graduates, allegedly sparked by clashes involving their partners. Rumors even claimed Gavi asked Barça to transfer-list Lopez after an angry exchange, with the 22-year-old later fueling speculation by posting and quickly deleting a cryptic message on social media.
However, Lopez has now clarified the situation, insisting that his friendship with Gavi remains intact. Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, he said:
“Gavi has been my friend since I was 12. I’ve known him since my time at Betis, but since I joined La Masia, he’s been my friend, like my brother. We’ve shared a lot. People always speculate, this won’t change, but he’s still my friend. We have a good relationship, as always, and I have nothing more to say about that.”
Lopez also confirmed Chelsea had tabled a £37 million (€40m/$50m) bid during the summer transfer window, but he made it clear his heart was never set on leaving Camp Nou.
“Well, in the end, my priority has always been to be at Barça. I arrived when I was 12; it was my dream to be here, to be able to reach the first team. It’s always a compliment when there’s interest from other clubs, but the truth is, I always had the idea of staying at Barça and being able to succeed here. I never doubted being here. I’ve always felt I wanted to be here, to try to succeed, and to help the club.”
The duo are currently on international duty with Spain as they prepare for World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Turkey. They will then return to Barcelona ahead of a key La Liga clash with Valencia on September 14.
