Athletic Bilbao defender Iñigo Martínez will wait for Barcelona
The centre-back will ignore other offers until Camp Nou move is impossible
Athletic Club's Íñigo Martínez is one of the most desirable defenders on the transfer market. With proven experience and aged 31, the fact that he will be a free agent on June 30 makes him highly sought-after.
In this sense, Barcelona are still the best-placed club to acquire the services of Martinez. The Catalan club wanted to sign him last summer, but the problems with the financial Fair Play meant the operation did not materialise.
Barça preferred to wait a year, when he will cost nothing. Now, in recent weeks, there have been talks between the Blaugrana hierarchy and the player's camp, who have not received a renewal proposal from Athletic at any point.
Barça have made it clear that they are still very interested in the player, but have also said everything will depend on Financial Fair Play and whether he can be registered with LaLiga. The same goes, for example, for the pending renewals.
Knowing about his situation, other clubs have contacted Martínez's agent in the last few days. One of them is Atlético Madrid, who want to make important changes in defence. The Athletic centre-back, however, prefers to wait for Barça. He will not listen to other offers until he has no chance of playing for the Blaugrana because he cannot be registered.
NO FULL-BACK
At Barça, they see Martínez as an ideal reinforcement for their defence. He would come in to strengthen the centre of defence, which lost Piqué in November, but still has Araujo, Christensen, Eric Garcia and Koundé.
His arrival would also rule out the signing of a right-back. That position, although Barça have lost Bellerín, would be well covered with Koundé, already more receptive to playing there, Sergi Roberto, who has already agreed to renew for a season, and Julián Araujo, a Mexican player who will come to Barça to play with the reserve team, but who Xavi can call on if he needs him.
