Among the various objectives clubs like Barcelona tend to have sorted during their various pre-season expeditions is the inclusion and testing of new players in the current squad.
These new players could possibly be new acquisitions from other clubs entirety, or even returning loanees that have not had the chance to integrate within the team properly before.
And sometimes, these new players can even be emerging academy stars who are yet to be given their first taste of top-level European football and are raring to finally get a shot at doing so.
One such player is La Masia talent Fermin Lopez, who as Spanish news outlet SPORT highlights, has been one of the most notable surprises in this year’s pre-season and has even been publicly pointed out as being so by two first-team stars of FC Barcelona.
Pedri and Alejandro Balde have both taken the opportunity to hail praise on the 20-year-old La Masia midfielder, with Pedri stating his name specifically when asked about which player surprised him the most during preseason thus far, stating:
“There are many young people who aspire to conquer the world. One individual whom I admire is Fermín, as he possesses both determination and excellence.”
Balde also included the player with the likes of Lamine Yamal, Aleix Garrido, and Alex Valle when asked about which upcoming stars he believes could one day find their place in the first team as well given their talents.
The midfielder in question has been a part of the Barcelona youth setup since around 2016, and has nearly spent 8 years already as part of the subsidiary. Currently competing for Barcelona Atletic, the player even spent a season on loan at Linares Deportivo in the 2022/2023 campaign.
While playing for Linares and under the tutelage of coach Alberto Gonzalez, the player accumulated impressive numbers. Scoring 12 times and providing four assists in the span of 40 games as a midfielder for the side.
Now, set to partake in the pre-season tour of the United States of America, Fermin Lopez looks to impress Xavi Hernandez and gain his trust to be given more chances in the dynamics of the first team.
The 20-year-old may even get his first shot at doing so in the upcoming clash against Arsenal, set to take place at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on the 27th of July.
