Barcelona WONDERKID signs new deal with €400m release clause

Stuart Telford

• 29 Aug 2023 14:08 BST
• 3 min read

Barcelona have tied academy star Fermin Lopez down to a new four-year contract with a release clause that should prove prohibitively expensive for potential suitors.

Fermin was only handed his La Liga debut on Sunday, replacing Ilkay Gundogan for the final four minutes of Barca's 4-3 win at Villarreal, but the club have already seen enough to secure his future.

The 20-year-old scored 12 goals and assisted four more on loan at third-tier Linares last term, and added to his numbers in both columns when the Blaugrana beat Clasico rivals Real Madrid 3-0 in Texas in pre-season.

READ: Xavi reveals plan for Barcelona WONDERKID Fermin Lopez

"The Andalusian midfielder has reached an agreement with the club to extend his contract until 30 June 2027 with a release clause of €400 million," Barca announced on Tuesday.

Fermin is unlikely to fetch anything like that amount anytime soon, but that is the point, with Barca having been stung by their release clauses in recent history.

Neymar lesson

Neymar's €222m clause was designed to ward off potential suitors, but instead it invited a bid from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, and the Brazilian's subsequent move to the French capital remains a world record transfer.

READ: PSG better without Messi and Neymar, claims former opponent

Barca are expected to follow up on Fermin's new deal by tying fellow academy stars Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal to similar deals in the coming days, with the pair expected to put pen to paper on Friday.

Fermin can expect to compete with the likes of Gavi, Pedri, Ferran Torres and Raphinha for a space in the final third at Camp Noun this season.

"Fermin Lopez will not leave on loan," head coach Xavi had said after his goal and assist against Real. "He will stay with the first team this season.

"We don't have any exceptions for players. He trained very well. We think he can help us throughout the season."