Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez has dealt a huge blow to Manchester United’s pursuit after revealing he wants to end his playing career at the Spanish champions.
The 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League side over the last week, although he has now publicly rejected that news by pledging his future to Barcelona.
This is not the first time Lopez has been linked with an exit from Spain, with the young midfielder also linked with a move to Chelsea in 2025.
However, Chelsea’s valuation fell way short of what could have convinced Barcelona into a sale, while Lopez also expressed his intention to continue playing at the Spanish heavyweights.
“Manchester United links? I don’t pay attention to that kind of news, I want to stay here at Barcelona s long as possible”, Lopez revealed during an interview.
“I hope to END my football career at this club and retire here.”
Manchester United had been hoping to sign the exciting midfielder as a long-term replacement for Portuguese international Bruno Fernandes, whose contract expires at the end of the season and is very likely to leave the club.
Lopez has enjoyed a bright start to the season at Barcelona, picking up from where he stopped in the last campaign.
The 23-year-old recorded 30 goal involvements in the 2025-26 season and has already recorded five goals and five assists in 10 La Liga games this season.
His desire to end his career at Batcelona is a major blow to Manchester United’s hopes of signing him, leaving Michael Carrick’s side to now sort out replacements from other clubs.
The Red Devils have been previously linked with moves for the likes of Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and will now be stepping up their pursuit of signing one top attacking midfielder ahead of the January transfer window.
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