Barcelona will make an effort to try and sign Spanish defender Inigo Martinez in the summer of 2023 when he is out of contract at Athletic Club, reports journalist Alfredo Martinez.
The 31-year-old Martinez has been on Barça’s radar for a while, with reports claiming that the Catalans were primed to move for the left-footed centre-back in case they missed out on Jules Kounde this summer
As it turned out, though, Barcelona were successful in their pursuit of Kounde, who joined from Sevilla to bolster a defence that had already been strengthened with Andreas Christensen’s arrival.
Despite the duo joining, Barça continue to be linked with a move for Martinez, with some outlets claiming that the club might consider a move for him in the current window itself.
However, given the player registration issues that Joan Laporta & co. are having to tackle, coupled with the fact that they are still trying to sign Marcos Alonso and Bernardo Silva, it would be fair to assume that Martinez is not at the top of the priority list currently.
And Alfredo Martinez states that the Blaugrana will launch a move for the Spanish international in the summer of 2023.
The 31-year-old centre-half has entered the final year of his contract this summer. Given that he has an €80 million release clause in his contract, Athletic hope to get a decent sum for his services if they were to sell him before the end of the ongoing window.
But with Martinez giving no indication of wanting to sign a new deal, he would become available for free next year, which is when Barcelona are now planning to strike.
The 31-year-old would be a good addition to the ranks at Camp Nou, especially with Gerard Pique entering the final phase of his career. His experience and versatility would bring a lot of value to the side. But, as things stand, fans might have to wait until next year to see him in the Blaugrana colours.