As things stand, FC Barcelona have a very well-stacked backline, that is only going to gain even more players as the loanees return to the Catalan club after the end of this month.
In their squad for the last season, Barcelona had a surplus of center-backs, with Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, Inigo Martinez, and Pau Cubarsi all competing for two positions.
This summer, Eric Garcia and Clement Lenglet are also going to return to the club after completing their loan spells, and Barcelona will have to make a decision on which of these defenders they want to keep.
In this regard, one of the decisions that the Blaugranes will have to make will be between Eric Garcia and Inigo Martinez. According to Mundo Deportivo, Eric Garcia’s chances of remaining in the team are higher than those of Inigo Martinez.
The report claims that Barcelona highly value the good season that the former Manchester City defender has had on loan at Girona, where he started 30 games, and helped Michel’s team finish third in La Liga. Furthermore, his versatility makes him a compelling option, as he can play as a center-back, as a right-back, and also as a pivot.
He has also shown his ability to score important goals from set pieces and was able to get on the scoresheet five times last season, becoming the top-scoring defender in La Liga.
Garcia has already made it clear that he wants to return to Barcelona, and Xavi had him in his plans. It remains to be seen whether Flick will be counting on him, but the Catalan club does want him to continue playing with them.
While this situation goes in Garcia’s favor, it means trouble for Inigo Martinez, whom Barcelona might want to offload for several reasons. For instance, he will have a higher salary for the next season, and he will also have to be registered anew with La Liga this summer as he was registered for only a single season last time.
The report claims that his exit is more likely than his stay at the moment, even though the Catalan club is happy with his charisma, leadership ability, and behavior in the locker room, where he has acted as a mentor for young players like Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi.
However, Barcelona will have to cut their wages and will have to make a decision in this regard in the coming days.
