20-year-old Barcelona gem surpasses Bellingham in 2024 | OneFootball

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

In the grand cathedral of FC Barcelona, the power of youth continues to be given importance. Many of La Blaugrana’s most prominent moments this season have come through their youngsters. However, some names at Barcelona are beginning to show their true colors late.

One of those young names is that of Fermin Lopez. The 20-year-old Spanish midfielder continues to be an efficient asset in terms of both dynamism and also his end product. In fact, when statistics are brought into the picture, the Barcelona midfielder is second to none.

As highlighted by SPORT, Lopez’s goal tally in 2024 exceeds even that of Jude Bellingham this year. The Real Madrid star, heralded for his goal-scoring abilities despite being a midfielder, still has less goals this year than Fermin Lopez despite playing more minutes as well.

This year, the Englishman has played a total of 1,014 minutes, while Lopez has played only 38% of possible minutes this season in La Liga. Despite also playing close to 500 less minutes than Bellingham this year, the Barcelona youngster has scored more goals.

Beyond even Bellingham, no La Liga midfielder has scored more goals than Fermin since the start of 2024. This shows his brilliant efficiency, despite still just being an impact substitution, and just how effective he has become for Xavi Hernandez in moments of desperation this season.

Even with all the injuries plaguing Barcelona, the 20-year-old has stepped up in important moments. With goals against the likes of Valencia, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and even Napoli in the UEFA Champions League, it is hard to argue why exactly Barcelona continues to put so much faith in this young player whose future seemed much more uncertain in the past.

His future now looks brighter than ever, and with Xavi also staying another season, opportunities should be endless for the young midfielder. Given his dynamism and ability to take initiative in tense situations, it would not be surprising to see the Barcelona coach trust him in games even when his gala midfielders are available for selection.