31-year-old Spanish defender Inigo Martinez is a player that has indefinitely been on the radar of FC Barcelona for quite some time now. However, according to reports from SPORT, there may exist a subtle few hindrances in the Catalan’s thought process of trying to pursue the defender.
The left-footed center-back remains a key target due to both his proficiency with his left foot, an attribute that Barcelona management seems keen to have at their disposal considering they have a few other left-footed defensive targets on their radar, as well as his composure on the ball alongside his overall experience as a veteran. All these traits are crucial positives in Barcelona’s intentions to acquire his services.
Yet, despite the apparent positives, there remain concerns over his injury record. Despite a strong start to the season for Athletic Bilbao, the player has been unavailable for Los Leones since November of 2022 due to an injury picked up in the said month. The player is yet to still be given any clearance or dates regarding a potential return for his side.
FC Barcelona are still studying the possibility of acquiring the veteran defender, and do not inherently consider his recent injury to end-all of their pursuit, but rather intend to wait for his return and assess his current level before going in to make an official offer to the player, who will be a free agent come the summer transfer window should he choose not to renew.
As it stands, reports suggest that despite interest from clubs across Europe, the player seems convinced and his preferred priority in terms of changing to another club remains FC Barcelona themselves.