Fermin Lopez Becomes FC Barcelona's New No. 7

Fermin Lopez has stepped into one of FC Barcelona’s most storied shirts. The La Masia product is the new No. 7 at Camp Nou, inheriting the number vacated by Ferran Torres after his move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Ferran’s departure to PSG last week, in a deal worth close to €50 million, ended a three-year spell in Barcelona colours. The 26-year-old Spanish international has signed a five-year contract in Paris, tying him to the French champions until 2031. His exit did not just open up a spot in the attack; it left one of the club’s most symbolic numbers without an owner.

The debate among Barça fans started almost immediately. Who would dare pull on the No. 7 next? The answer is now official. La Liga’s website lists Fermin Lopez as Barcelona’s new No. 7, a clear show of faith in a player who has rapidly climbed from academy hopeful to first-team reference point. He leaves behind the No. 16 he wore in his breakthrough seasons.

It is a bold step, but his performances have earned it. Under Hansi Flick, Fermin became an integral piece of the system in 2025/26, driving the team from midfield with energy and incision. He played a central role in Barcelona’s La Liga title win and their Spanish Super Cup triumph, proving he could handle decisive moments in a team full of established names.

Then came the setback. An untimely injury late in the campaign cost him a place on Spain’s flight to North America for the World Cup, a brutal blow for a player on the rise. The tournament went on without him; his season ended in the treatment room.

The response has been emphatic. Fully recovered, Fermin has impressed in pre-season, picking up where he left off before the injury. His sharpness on the ball and aggression without it have stood out again, and now he enters the new campaign not just as a promising youngster, but as the man carrying the No. 7 on his back.

At Barcelona, that number comes with history and weight. Ferran Torres wore it last. Before him came Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Philippe Coutinho. Go back a little further and you find Arda Turan, Pedro Rodriguez, David Villa. Keep rewinding and the names grow even heavier: Luis Figo, Eusebio, and even Pep Guardiola, who had a brief spell with the shirt. It is a lineage that mixes brilliance, controversy, and silverware.

The reshaping of the squad is not limited to Fermin’s promotion. Earlier this month, Barcelona confirmed that Joan Garcia will wear the No. 1 shirt following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s exit, a symbolic passing of the gloves in goal. Wojciech Szczesny has been assigned No. 13, reinforcing the new hierarchy in the goalkeeping department.

And this is not the end of the renumbering. With new signings Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon still waiting to discover their squad numbers, more decisions are coming. For now, though, one statement is clear: Barcelona’s new era will have Fermin Lopez front and centre, carrying a number that demands personality, production, and courage.