Overview

• López has requested permission from Barcelona to speak with Chelsea about a potential move, according to multiple reports cited in Spanish media.
• Chelsea have held fresh discussions with the player and made initial club-to-club contact after an opening proposal near €50m was rejected.
• Reporting varies on next steps, with some outlets saying Chelsea are ready to raise their bid toward €65m and others indicating they will wait for López’s green light before formal terms.
• López is expected to make a public statement on his future on Friday as the September 1 deadline approaches.
• Newcastle have been linked by El Chiringuito with a possible offer up to €100m, a claim not independently corroborated, while a sale is widely reported to ease Barcelona’s salary-limit and registration pressures even as Hansi Flick and Deco prefer he stays.