Khaberni - A WhatsApp message sent by a close Andalusian friend of Xavi Hernandez marked a turning point in the career of Fermin Lopez. That message renewed the coach's interest in the player, who requested close monitoring of his performance while he was on loan at Linares Deportivo.
During that loan, Lopez gradually proved himself away from the watchful eyes of Barcelona’s technical staff, and had an outstanding season becoming one of the team's prominent players and its top scorer.
Before that, Lopez was not even a regular player in the youth category and was not regarded as a strong candidate for the first team, amid doubts about his physical abilities, despite joining at an early age from Real Betis and possessing clear talent.
Upon his return from the loan, he was not initially in the club’s plans, but Xavi insisted on giving him a chance during the pre-season preparation, and he quickly proved his worth, demonstrating a great understanding of the game and an ability to use both feet effectively.
In the preparatory tour in the United States, Lopez quickly stood out, especially in a match against Real Madrid, where he scored a goal and provided a decisive pass, announcing himself as a promising talent on the football scene.
Thus, a casual message was enough to change the course of a player who was close to leaving the club, to become one of the rising talents in the ranks of Barcelona.
Since joining the first team of Barcelona, Lopez has played 127 matches in various competitions, contributing to 58 goals (scoring 31 and assisting 27).
The current value of the 22-year-old player is 100 million euros (about 108 million dollars) according to the Transfermarkt website.
