La Liga heavyweights Barcelona will reportedly table a bid to sign veteran Spanish defender Inigo Martinez from Athletic Club.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Onda Vasca, Barcelona will soon submit an offer to secure the services of Inigo Martinez in the summer transfer window. The Spanish international has a release clause worth €80 million in his contract with Athletic Club. But the Blaugrana will not trigger it, although the offer will be “concrete and important”.
Inigo Martinez has been one of the most reliable performers in La Liga for most of his professional career, going from strength to strength since joining Athletic Club from Basque rivals Real Sociedad nearly four years ago. The 31-year-old has turned out 158 times for Athletic Club, chipping in with six goals and seven assists.
But Martinez has entered the final year of his contract with the Basque outfit and faces an uncertain future at San Mames. The Spanish international is no closer to agreeing to a new deal, with the situation capturing the attention of Barcelona, who will soon table a bid to secure his services.
The continued interest from Barcelona is surprising, considering they have secured the services of Jules Kounde this summer. In addition, the Catalan giants have also signed Andreas Christensen in a Bosman deal following the expiration of his Chelsea, and they are now focused on signing new full-backs.
Recent reports claimed that Barcelona will look to sign Inigo Martinez on a free transfer in the 2023 summer transfer window if Gerard Pique calls it quits at the end of the upcoming season. But the report by Onda Vasca claims that the Blaugrana will soon lodge a “concrete and important” offer to sign the veteran defender from fellow La Liga outfit Athletic Club.
However, prising Martinez away from Athletic Club might not be straightforward for Barcelona, with Ernesto Valverde reportedly unwilling to lose the 31-year-old. In addition, it is highly unlikely that Barcelona will trigger the release clause worth €80 million in Martinez’s contract to sign him.
Athletic Club will thus have the impetus to keep hold of the Spanish international beyond the summer transfer window. And unless the Catalan giants somehow shell out €80 million, a move will not see the light of day.
