Barcelona has lost one of its most important center-backs after confirming the departure of Iñigo Martínez. The Basque player, 34 years old, will head to Saudi Arabia after accepting Al-Nassr's offer. Although he leaves on a free transfer, his departure frees up key wage mass for the club's pending registrations.
Iñigo Martínez signed until 2026 but will not complete his contract. The financial offer from Saudi Arabia has been irresistible for the footballer. Meanwhile, Barça understands that freeing up his €14 million salary is vital to unlock key signings in this same transfer window.
Joan Laporta and Deco knew that this departure had been on the table for weeks. The club urgently needed to reduce its wage bill to register Rashford, Joan García, and other players. In this context, Iñigo's sale has been understood as a necessary sacrifice within the economic plan.
A sensitive loss for Hansi Flick
Iñigo Martínez's departure doesn't only affect the club financially. In sporting terms, Flick loses an experienced center-back who knew the defensive system perfectly. His leadership, aerial presence, and composure in big matches had made him a regular piece in the rotation.
During preseason, the German coach already started testing alternatives in light of this possible loss. The combinations between Christensen, Cubarsí, and Araujo were constant in the friendlies. Everyone in the locker room knew that Iñigo's continuity was in doubt until the last day.
Even so, the coaching staff assure that they are prepared for this departure. There is trust in the young players, and the priority will be to give prominence to talents from La Masia. Here comes the first major change in the heart of the new Barça's defense.
Flick's big bet
The big news will be Andrés Cuenca, a center-back from Barça Atlètic who will be promoted to the first team on a permanent basis. Flick has already given the green light to his promotion and sees him as ready to compete at the highest level. Although he didn't go on the preseason tour, he has trained with the senior squad throughout the year.
The player had offers from European giants like Bayern and United, but after the latest setback, everything indicates that he will stay and fully integrate with the first team.
Cuenca stands out for his tactical intelligence, strong aerial play, and clean ball distribution. The club values his maturity despite his youth. Alongside Cubarsí, he will be one of the pillars of the future defense that Laporta wants to build around homegrown talents.
His debut with the first team left a good impression. Since then, he has continued to grow with the reserves, and now his big opportunity has arrived. Flick wants to see him in action in the first league matches to assess how he adapts to the competitive pace of the elite.
One more reinforcement is on the way
In addition to Andrés Cuenca's promotion, Barça will invest part of the wage savings in a signing for the back line. Joan Laporta is preparing about €75 million to complete a second move. The goal is to bring in a center-back with international experience to complement the young players.
The board has received several recommendations from the sporting department led by Deco. Although no names have been officially leaked, there are active operations in the Premier League and Serie A. The profile sought is clear: a left-footed center-back, strong in duels, and with good ball distribution from the back.
The idea is to finalize this signing before the transfer window closes. The club believes it will be able to complete the signing in the coming weeks if some minor sales are completed. Deferred payment formulas are also being considered so as not to compromise the financial fair play margin.
Pau Cubarsí | @FCBarcelona
Iñigo Martínez's departure marks the beginning of a new era in Barça's defense. The club is betting on a mix of youth and experience to build a solid and lasting back line. With Cubarsí, Cuenca, and another signing, the aim is to lay the foundations for the future.
Flick values the competitive character of the young players and believes they can take on the challenge. The competition will be tough, but there is excitement within the locker room. Above all, there is confidence that Barça will be able to reinvent itself, as it has so many times before, starting from its youth academy.
