Following Fermin Lopez’s explosive performance in the starting lineup last season, there have been rumors circulating for some time now that Barcelona is negotiating a new deal for him.

In August of last year, the 21-year-old La Masia graduate inked a new contract with the Catalans that included a €400 million release clause and ran until 2027.

But the young offensive midfielder’s contract only covered him as a reserve team member, so Barça has been trying to change it to better reflect his present status now that he’s established himself as a first-team star for both the club and his country.

In fact, an improved contract with better pay and length has been agreed upon by the team and the agent.

According to reports, Fermin will receive a wage under the new contract that is commensurate with his standing within the team for a period of five years.

Barcelona will hold off on making an official announcement for the time being and will only do so if they are back to the 1:1 rule.

It may not be long until Barça revert to the 1:1 norm, with the Nike agreement anticipated to be finalized in the upcoming weeks. At that point, Fermin’s renewal, along with that of a few other players like Gerard Martin, Gavi, and Pedri, will be expedited.

Due to an injury, Fermin is not scheduled to return until after the upcoming international break in October.