Fermin Lopez expresses desire for Lionel Messi to seal Barcelona homecoming transfer - even if it means he drops to the bench

All-time great Messi severed career-long ties with Barca in 2021 when leaving for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent. Tears were shed ahead of his departure, with the iconic Argentine being forced through the exits by much-publicised financial struggles.

He is now in the United States with Inter Miami and has committed to a new contract through 2028 with the MLS Cup winners. At 38 years of age, there appears to be little chance of him returning to Europe in a playing capacity.

Fermin is, however, prepared to cling to that dream. Another product of Barcelona’s fabled La Masia academy system has told reporters when asked who his dream team-mate would be: “If it were up to me to sign someone for Barca, I would sign Leo Messi. If they bench me for Messi, so be it!”

Fermin has been rotated out of Barcelona’s starting XI at times this season, but he is a regular pick for head coach Hansi Flick. That is because 10 goals and as many assists have been recorded in the 2025-26 campaign - with that haul including a Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos.

He is now being lined up for a new contract, with talks underway regarding terms that would keep the five-cap Spain international in his current surroundings through to 2031. Fermin’s offer is said to include a 50 per cent pay rise and a significant increase to his release clause - having previously attracted interest from Premier League giants Chelsea.

He has said of those discussions: “Yes, things are going pretty well, there are still a few things to sort out, but I intend to stay at Barca, which is the most important thing for me. And the truth is that I hope it happens soon and I’m very happy.”

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Fermin added on his impressive form: “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.

“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.

“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.”

Fermin is in competition with Dani Olmo for minutes at Barca, but says they enjoy a friendly rivalry. He added: “I have a very good relationship with Dani. He’s a great player and, at the end of the day, we’re at Barca and there’s always a lot of competition. 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.”

Finally, with Barcelona chasing down La Liga and Champions League titles, Fermin said of collective targets in 2026: “We are Barca 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.”

Flick’s side, who hold a one-point lead over Clasico rivals Real Madrid in the Liga standings, will be back in European action on Wednesday when playing host to FC Copenhagen - with automatic qualification for the last 16 of Champions League competition up for grabs.