Countdown at FC Barcelona: the key to renewing Iñigo Martínez

Since the start of the winter transfer window, the sports management of FC Barcelona has initiated the 'renewal operation'. The blue and garnet entity has secured the future of key pieces of the long-term project such as Pedri, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, and Cubarsí, but it also aims to 'tie down' those players who can help the immediate success of the team, with Iñigo Martínez being one of them.

The Basque center-back's contract expires at the end of the season, but his commitment includes a clause that will automatically extend his stay if he plays 45 minutes in 60% of the matches of the Catalan team this season. A figure he will reach without any problem, as Hansi Flick considers him an important player in his squad.

The Barça could play a maximum of 61 matches this season if they reach the finals of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. In that sense, Iñigo would need to play 37 matches to automatically renew, and so far, he has already participated in 29 matches, although in one of them he did not reach the 45 minutes required to validate his clause.

Barça in search of financial 'fair play'

Moreover, the newspaper 'MARCA' reports that from the offices of Spotify Camp Nou, they have already informed the player that, regardless of what the clause in his contract dictates, the club's intention is to renew him as a reward for the excellent performance he has shown this season. The agreement between both parties is total, but the culés need to achieve financial 'fair play' to close this matter.

After finalizing the extensions of the contracts of Araujo, Pedri, Gavi, and Cubarsí, the Barça has run out of salary margin to register the new contract of Martínez. The blaugranas maintain constant contact with LaLiga in search of solutions to make this renewal effective, but as of today, they have not yet found the formula to resolve the issue. However, it is only a matter of time before Deco finalizes a new operation that seems crucial for the team's short-term future.