Cost Bilbao 32 million
Athletic Bilbao’s Iñigo Martínez (31) is likely to become FC Barcelona’s ninth free transfer since 2021. As is so often the case with the Catalans, it’s now about the contract, which transfer experts Gerard Romero and Fabrizio Romano said was already in March agreed to register. Accordingly, the Spanish international, who switched from Real Sociedad to the Basque rivals in 2018 for a transfer fee of 32 million euros as a record transfer, will sign with Barça until 2025.
“It’s one thing to have a balanced balance sheet, another is financial fair play. As far as wages are concerned, for ten new players, ten others have to go,” Vice President Eduard Romeu told Catalunya Ràdio. Barcelona are said to have been interested in Martínez last summer, and now he will probably be the fifth trained central defender in coach Xavi’s squad – three of them free transfers. The future of Clément Lenglet (Tottenham) and Samuel Umtiti (Lecce), who are currently on loan, is unclear.
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In addition to Martínez’s contract, there were also problems with the working paper of homegrown Gavi when registering with LaLiga. “We are waiting for the strategic plan to be approved for two seasons. These are strict and conservative numbers and I’m sure LaLiga will give the green light. We’ll know next week,” Romeu said last Thursday. If that is the case, the timely announcement of the Martínez transfer can also be expected.
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Barça’s free transfers
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Since Lionel Messi’s departure for Paris, Barça has changed its transfer strategy and has increasingly focused on free transfer players. While there were no free access between 2009 and 2020, since then there have been nine – including Martínez – with varying success: Sergio Agüero (end of career), Memphis Depay (Atlético Madrid) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ( Chelsea) no longer play for the Catalans, but still brought in 15 million euros in transfers. Eric García, meanwhile, is a substitute in defense and comes into play when Xavi rotates.
The situation is similar with the much more valuable Franck Kessié and Andreas Christensen, who also do not play the important roles they play at their ex-clubs Milan and Chelsea, but have played their part in the first championship since 2019. Barça’s designated new signing Martínez has made just 15 appearances this LaLiga season through injury but has always been a seed when fit.
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2023-05-16 07:42:00
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