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Iñigo Martínez in a match with Athletic Bilbao

THE CENTER COULD ARRIVE FOR FREE

Iñigo Martínez will reappear in San Mamés against a Barça that does not rule him out in summer

Published:11/03/2023 - 19:54h

Updated:11/03/2023 - 19:54h

Although signing another central defender is not an immediate priority for FC Barcelona, ​​the option of Iñigo Martínez is still on the table. The defender will reappear on Sunday against the culés without having defined his future, since his contract ends in June with Bilbao

Calendar of FC Barcelona

The future of Iñigo Martínez follows generating worry in the Athletic of Bilbao and the FC Barcelona knows that the option of the central, although it has lost priority regarding the past summer, does not leave to be attractive in front of the possibility of ficharle to 'cost zero'. The one of Ondarroa would be loved to dress the T-shirt culé and, with agreement until 30 June, recently will reappear this Sunday in front of a Barça that needs to win not to lose advantage in the leadership before the Classical.

The defender of 31 years was two months went by a fascitis plant and recently could go back to play in the gone of 'semis' of Glass of the King in front of the Osasuna the past 1 March. 90 minutes in front of the 'rojillos' (defeat 1-0) showed that the central was back to good level, by which Ernesto Valverde kept him in the XI for the visit to the Ray (0-0) the past Sunday and, in front of the Barça, everything aims to that it will be again title.

Iñigo is still thinking in the Barça

And it is that Iñigo, the one who did not hide his wish to dress the T-shirt culé the summer, does not play in Saint Mamés from 8 November, just before the stop mundialista. In principle, the fans will receive him with the affection of always, but knowing that, while it do not resolve his renewal, well can leave free in summer to the FC Barcelona or to the Athletic of Madrid, two of the clubs that showed greater interest up to now for ficharle.

Thus, the one of the Sunday will not be a party more for a Martínez that arrived to the Athletic in 2018 and knows well that this can be his last opportunity to leave to a club 'big'. The managerial bilbaína prioritises his renewal for, in the worst of the cases, ensure a traspaso or loan that leave good money in box. The one of Ondarroa only has played 12 parties this season (1.080 minutes), conditioned by the physical problems.

The right side, the priority culé

However, the Barça already has defined that the priority for the summer, in defence, will be to reinforce the right side. In front of the impossibility to manage traspasos high, options like the ones of Iñigo Martínez are very valuable, but the central Basque no longer is between the urgent requests of Xavi Hernández the one who himself expected until last moment by his possible arrived the past year, something that the Ahtletic prevented when denying to negotiate.

Still like this, the defender has clear his priorities and his mates already begin to fear by his exit. In this sense, one that took advantage of for 'wet' on the future of Martínez was Iñaki Williams, the one who praised to the defender in the previous of the crash in front of the FC Barcelona. It fits me more in the Athletic. For us it is the hostia, is a defence with very good exit of balloon, headline in the Selection, has left patent his hierarchy. Ojalá Can finish his career here and no in the Barça", said the forward.