La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly weighing up a 2023 Bosman move for 31-year-old Spanish international Inigo Martinez.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Inigo Martinez is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible Bosman move in the 2023 summer transfer window. The 31-year-old Spanish international is in the final year of his contract with Athletic Club and is yet to commit to a new deal.
Inigo Martinez has gone from strength to strength during his professional career, where he has exclusively represented Basque clubs thus far. The veteran centre-back started at Real Sociedad before joining Athletic Club a few years ago, establishing himself as one of the most consistent performers in La Liga since then.
The 31-year-old has turned out over 150 times thus far for Athletic Club while chipping in with a few goals and assists. At the same time, Martinez has also established a foothold in the Spanish national team and will fancy his chances of going to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup later this year.
Martinez’s exploits have not gone unnoticed either, with Barcelona tracking his progress. In addition, with the Spanish international in the final year of his contract with Athletic Club, signing him in a Bosman move in the 2023 summer transfer window might have enticed Barcelona even more.
Barcelona attempted to sign Martinez in the summer transfer window this year, only for Athletic Club to reject their advances. While the 31-year-old wanted to move to Camp Nou, a summer deal did not see the light of day, with Athletic Club successfully keeping him away from Barcelona’s grasp.
The continued interest from Barcelona stems from Gerard Pique’s advancing years. And with widespread reports claiming that the veteran defender might leave Barcelona or hang up his boots at the end of the 2022/23 season, replacing him with Martinez might be a step in the right direction.
With that in mind, the Catalan giants are considering a 2023 move for Martinez. With the 31-year-old Spanish international reportedly keen on joining Barcelona, a Bosman move next summer might be on the cards, especially if Pique departs from Camp Nou after the end of the 2022/23 season.
