Spanish giants Barcelona reportedly already know who their first signing for next season will be.
The Nine Contract Demands Messi Made To Barca Revealed
According to Spain-based publication Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan giants are likely to acquire Spanish centre-back Inigo Martinez's services in 2023.
The Athletic Club defender's contract is set to expire next year, and he is said to be open to joining Xavi Hernandez's project at the Blaugrana.
In recent years, Martinez has become a regular pick for Spain boss Luis Enrique, although he was left out of the final squad selected for the 2020 UEFA European Championship, which was held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He spent seven years in Real Sociedad's first team between 2011 and 2018 before joining Bilbao, whom he has since represented on 161 occasions across all competitions.
Rumours in Spain suggest that Barcelona could be looking to part ways with veteran defender Gerard Pique at the end of this campaign, with Martinez potentially being lined up to replace him.
Martinez, however, will be 32 years old by the time his contract in the Basque country runs out, which could mean Xavi sees him as a back-up solution for the likes of Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen.
It is further reported that the defender and Barca have reached a "rough agreement" over a contract, one that can only be signed at the turn of the year.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments
Click here to register: Sign In
