Inigo Martinez will reportedly soon begin talks with Athletic Club over a renewal amid interest from La Liga rivals Barcelona.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Barcelona’s hopes of securing the services of Inigo Martinez in the summer transfer window could soon be dashed. The Spanish international will enter contract talks with Athletic Club, with the La Liga outfit ready to secure his long-term future.
Inigo Martinez has gone from strength to strength since sealing a controversial move from Real Sociedad to Athletic Club nearly four years ago. The 31-year-old has proven to be one of the most reliable defenders in La Liga while establishing a foothold in the Spanish national team.
The experienced centre-back has turned out 158 times for Athletic Club, chipping in with seven goals and seven assists. But Martinez’s future at the Basque outfit is up in the air, with his contract running out next year. Such a situation has captured the attention of one of the biggest clubs in La Liga – Barcelona.
Barcelona will likely delve into the market for a centre-back in the summer transfer window, even though Andreas Christensen is on the verge of completing a Bosman move from Chelsea. The Blaugrana could offload Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza ahead of the 2022/23 season after deeming the trio surplus to requirements.
Umtiti and Lenglet’s departures will leave Xavi Hernandez without a left-footed centre-back at his disposal, bringing Martinez into the picture. The 31-year-old’s extensive experience in La Liga makes him a viable target for Barcelona, especially with Gerard Pique in the twilight of his career.
Martinez’s contract situation further makes him an appealing prospect for Barcelona, who could ideally sign him for a cut-price fee. But Athletic Club will soon initiate discussions over a new deal with the Spanish international, hampering Barcelona’s hopes of securing the services of the veteran defender.
But it will be interesting to see if Barcelona can somehow convince Martinez to snub the advances of Athletic Club and move across La Liga to Camp Nou instead. If not, the Catalan giants will have to set their sights on alternatives, with Kalidou Koulibaly among the other centre-backs on their radar.
