Barcelona will not launch the offensive for La Liga veteran and Athletic Club defender Inigo Martinez in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, Inigo Martinez no longer features on Barcelona’s radar. The Catalan giants have cooled their interest in the veteran Spanish defender due to his recent fitness issues.
Inigo Martinez has been a household name among those who have been watching La Liga for several seasons. The 31-year-old has been a dependable performer for two Basque outfits in his professional career. And he has also regularly featured for the Spanish national side in the last few years.
The veteran defender has seven goals and seven assists in 171 appearances for Athletic Club. But Martinez’s long-term future is uncertain, as he is in the final few months of his contract with the Basque outfit. And such a situation captured the attention of a few top clubs, including Barcelona.
Barcelona will prioritise signing a left-footed centre-back in the summer transfer window. And it is one of Xavi Hernandez’s biggest problems this season, leading him to use Marcos Alonso as a central defender. Inigo Martinez had thus emerged as a viable target for Barcelona earlier this season.
Recent reports also claimed that the Catalan giants were well-placed to secure the services of the 31-year-old. But Martinez’s fitness issues have forced Barcelona to cool the interest in the veteran Spanish defender. And the Blaugrana will unlikely launch the offensive for the Athletic Club centre-back.
The latest update comes in the wake of rumours that the Spanish international was keen on joining Barcelona. And Martinez will now need to look for another destination if he decides to leave Athletic Club as a free agent. Meanwhile, the Catalan giants have a few other left-footed centre-backs on their radar.
Recent reports have linked Barcelona with Aymeric Laporte, with the Manchester City defender prioritising joining the Blaugrana. But it will be interesting to see if Barcelona can afford to sign the Spanish international this summer. For now, a move for Inigo Martinez seems unlikely after the Catalan giants cooled their interest in him.
