Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Catalans advised against Fermin Lopez sale, Hansi Flick wants LaLiga ace to stay, and more - August 31, 2025

Barcelona travel to the Estadio de Vallecas on Sunday, August 31, to face Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga. The Spanish champions have a 100% record this season so far, and will be looking to add to that this weekend.

Meanwhile, the Catalans have been advised against offloading Fermin Lopez this summer. Elsewhere, Hansi Flick has no desire to let a Danish defender leave Camp Nou at the moment.

On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from August 31, 2025.

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Barcelona advised against Fermin Lopez sale

Fermin Lopez

Former Barcelona youth director Jordi Roura has advised the club to keep hold of Fermin Lopez. The Spanish midfielder is not a guaranteed starter for the LaLiga champions and is reportedly wanted by Chelsea this summer.

Speaking to journalist Gerard Romero, as cited by SPORT, Roura insisted that it will be very hard for the Catalans to replace Lopez in the current market.

“If I were Hansi Flick, Fermin wouldn’t leave, not even as a joke. I would grab him and never let him go. There are no players like Fermín on the market. It’s very difficult to find players with his technique and goalscoring ability. And he’s also a player who brings a great fighting spirit,” said Roura.

He continued:

“From a sporting perspective, I think there’s no debate. Fermin is an undisputed player. For me, he’s the starting midfielder. Olmo is a great player, but he’s had injuries.”

He concluded:

“If I want Fermin to stay, it is not because he is from La Masia, because in professional football, what counts is performance, and Fermín has shown that he has given a great performance.”

Lopez is under contract until 2029, and recent reports have suggested that Barcelona want €90m to let him go.

Hansi Flick wants Andreas Christensen to stay

Andreas Christensen

Hansi Flick wants Andreas Christensen to stay at Barcelona, according to Fichajes. Recent reports have suggested that AC Milan are already planning to take the Danish defender to Serie A this summer.

Christensen endured an injury-ravaged 2024/25 campaign and has been linked with an exit all summer. Interestingly, the 29-year-old's contract expires at the end of this season and he hasn't signed a new deal yet.

It was previously believed that the Catalans are willing to cash in on him this year. However, Christensen's situation with the LaLiga champions has changed following Inigo Martinez's departure from Camp Nou this summer.

Flick does want to further weaken this backline this year, and has refused to sanction the Dane's departure. Andreas Christensen also wants to stay at Barcelona and fight for his place in the team.

Catalans sign Ibrahim Babayev

Barcelona have signed Ibrahim Babayev from Swiss club Servette, according to Mundo Deportivo. The 17-year-old midfielder has caught the eye in recent times and the Catalans have moved quickly to secure his signature.

Babayev had been training with the Juvenil B team for the past several days as part of his trial. The decision makers at La Masia are impressed with his efforts and have now added him to their roster. The highly-rated Azerbaijan prodigy will be hoping to eventually become the first player from the country to represent the LaLiga champions.