Barcelona president extends gesture of gratitude to departing defender | OneFootball

Barcelona veteran Inigo Martinez is on his way to becoming a new Al Nassr player, and the move was as surprising as it could be.

Just when the team completed the pre-season tour in Asia and were beginning to prepare for the Joan Gamper Trophy, news developed overnight that the player was considering leaving.

That, coupled with a special clause in his contract to allow him to leave as a free agent should an offer from Saudi Arabia arrive, helped facilitate the unlikely move and bring it close to closure.

President’s gesture

As relayed by Mundo Deportivo in a recent report, Barcelona president Joan Laporta visited the club facilities on Friday to meet the departing defender and share a gesture of gratitude with Inigo before the formal move.

After all, the Spaniard captivated the club president in his two seasons at the club and stood out not only as a warrior on the field but a leader in the dressing room.

Set to move on. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

As Martinez made his way out of the club facilities one last time before his imminent move and bid farewell to his teammates, Laporta met with him to thank him for his dedication towards Barcelona and wish him the best for his new endeavour.

While Martinez’s exit is difficult for Hansi Flick from a sporting perspective, it eases the burden on the club in a financial sense as his wages will be taken off the club’s salary bill.

Notably, however, the entire sum will not reflect on the FFP calculations given that he was not registered under the 1:1 rule.

As it stands, Barcelona are not looking for a direct replacement in the market. and the decision will depend on the club’s financial situation. Concurrently, however, it is not completely ruled out, and they will monitor the market as they usually do.