Manchester City have reportedly made transfer enquiries for Barcelona’s rising midfielder Fermin Lopez, as Pep Guardiola continues to explore ways of adding more creativity to his side.

City’s summer shake-up leaves gaps in midfield

This summer saw a dramatic reshaping of the City squad under new director of football Hugo Viana.

Several experienced figures moved on, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker and Ederson, while Jack Grealish, Manuel Akanji and others departed on loan.

The club’s goalkeeping department has already been transformed with the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG, while James Trafford and Marcus Bettinelli provide depth.

But while Guardiola now has competition between the posts, doubts remain about whether City possess enough inventiveness in midfield to consistently supply Erling Haaland.

The departures of De Bruyne and Gundogan in particular have left a creative void that new recruits Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki have not yet filled, struggling to impose themselves in recent defeats to Tottenham and Brighton.

Fermin Lopez targeted after slow City start

Amid these concerns, TBR Football report that City made enquiries for Fermin Lopez during the summer transfer window.

The 20-year-old has quickly become one of Barcelona’s most promising young midfielders, admired for his vision, ball-carrying ability and attacking output.

Chelsea also pursued Lopez but failed to get a deal over the line before the deadline, leaving him at Camp Nou where he is expected to play an increased role this season.

The bigger picture for Guardiola

City’s early-season struggles — a heavy opening-day win over Wolves followed by back-to-back defeats — have raised questions about whether Viana’s first transfer window addressed the team’s real needs.

With crunch clashes against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal looming, Guardiola will be desperate for solutions.

Lopez, with his ability to unlock defences and link midfield with attack, fits the type of player City appear to be missing.

While no deal was possible this summer, enquiries signal that Guardiola and Viana could revisit the situation in January or next summer, depending on how both City’s season and Lopez’s development at Barcelona unfold.