Barcelona midfielder closing in on full fitness; could feature in upcoming friendlies

Barcelona midfielder closing in on full fitness; could feature in upcoming friendlies While many of the Barcelona stars are currently enjoying an extended break in light of their success at the World Cup, Fermin Lopez is coming on the back of worst summer imaginable. The Spaniard was one of Barcelona’s finest performers last season before an untimely injury during the backend of the campaign ruled out him out of the World Cup. Fermin had a tough time to even watch Spain’s initial few matches , but later visited New York to watch the final. He spent the entire summer trying to recover his fitness. Fermin to soon return to the pitch Fermin is closing in on full fitness. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) A recent report from SPORT has offered encouraging news on Fermin’s fitness, stating that his return to full fitness could be just around the corner. The midfielder suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot against Betis, with Barcelona already crowned champions, an injury that required surgery and cost him his first World Cup. He worked tirelessly through the summer, sacrificing his holidays, to be ready for the start of La Liga, and he has achieved his goal. Fermin travelled to England for pre-season and, having initially trained alone, is now fully integrated with the group. He did not feature against Birmingham City but looked excellent in an intra-squad match on the final day of the St George’s Park camp, scoring one of the two goals. Fermin himself had targeted the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 19 against Al-Ahly, but he could return sooner, with possible minutes in the Udine triangular tournament or the friendly against Ittihad Tangier on August 15. Either way, he is expected to be fully fit for Barcelona’s opening league fixture against Elche on August 23. Fermin’s role at Barcelona next season Fermin could play a key role next season. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) Fermin’s timely return could prove hugely important given how different Barcelona’s attack is set to look this season. With Robert Lewandowski having departed and Ferran Torres heavily linked with a move to PSG , Flick’s forward line is undergoing significant change. Barcelona have already brought in Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon, and could yet add another striker, with Julian Alvarez still firmly on the radar. In that context, Fermin is likely to play a crucial role in the final third. His versatility allows him to operate across midfield and attack, including as a false winger, while his productivity has been a standout feature of his game. Over the last two seasons under Flick, Fermin has contributed 21 goals and 27 assists in 94 appearances, numbers that underline his growing importance. As Flick searches for a goalscoring solution to offset the loss of the reliable Lewandowski, Fermin’s ability to chip in with both goals and assists from deeper or wider areas could prove invaluable.