Barcelona announce the arrival of free agent Inigo Martinez as former Athletic Club defender becomes second signing after Ilkay Gundogan.
- Barcelona sign Martinez
- Joins as a free agent
- Becomes second signing after Gundogan
WHAT HAPPENED? The Spanish centre-back joined the Catalan club on a two-year deal with a €400m release clause that will see him stay at the Camp Nou until June 30, 2025. The 32-year-old was a long-term target for Barcelona and was even considered as an alternative to Jules Kounde in the previous summer. He is an experienced campaigner who boasts over 350 La Liga games with Athletic while scoring 22 goals.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Martinez had been in talks with the La Liga champions since January and after his contract with Athletic ended in June, he signed on the dotted line for Barcelona having reached a verbal agreement in April. He had already completed his medical last month and was spotted at the club’s training facilities on Tuesday while doing a photo session for his unveiling.
WHAT NEXT? Martinez became the second signing for Barcelona after they roped in treble-winner Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City, who was also a free agent. Both players will be available for pre-season training in July before heading off to the USA tour where the club will face the likes of Juventus, Arsenal, Real Madrid and AC Milan respectively. READ MORE
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