Potential Departure of Iñigo Martínez
Reports indicate that Iñigo Martínez is currently in advanced talks to potentially leave FC Barcelona for Al Nassr, where he would reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo, according to an insider with ESPN. Although he signed a deal with the Catalan club that extends until June 2026, Barcelona is reportedly open to allowing the 34-year-old defender to exit on a free transfer.
Financial Implications for Barcelona
Last summer, Iñigo attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, but then Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, persuaded him to remain at the club. While Iñigo’s exit won’t inject immediate cash into Barcelona’s finances, it will significantly reduce the wage bill, thereby enabling the registration of new players.
Currently, Barcelona is struggling to comply with La Liga’s stringent financial regulations, specifically the 1-1 rule, which governs how revenue from player sales can reinvest towards new signings. As of now, the team can only allocate 60% of Iñigo’s salary toward this purpose, which is critical as they have until the start of the La Liga season to finalize registrations.
Ongoing Challenges with Player Registrations
Barcelona faces an ongoing challenge with player registrations, including those for Joan García, Wojciech Szczesny, Marcus Rashford, Gerard Martín, Marc Bernal, Roony Bardghji, Hector Fort, and Oriol Romeu. Notably, the last two players seem to not fit into Hansi Flick’s immediate plans for the team.
Impact of Martínez’s Departure
Martínez’s departure would represent a notable setback for Barcelona, as he has been a crucial player in defense, forming a robust partnership with Pau Cubarsí. Iñigo joined the club in the summer of 2023 after leaving Athletic Club but battled injury issues in his debut season. However, he turned his performance around last season, participating in 46 matches and contributing to Barcelona’s victories in the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles.
Barcelona can lean on existing talents like Ronald Araújo and Eric García, and they anticipate the return of Andreas Christensen, who dealt with injuries for much of the previous season.
