Barcelona veteran agrees new €4m-a-year deal, announcement delayed due to salary cap issues | OneFootball

Over the past few weeks, FC Barcelona have managed to complete the contract renewals of several key players.

The likes of Ronald Araujo, Pedri, Gavi, Gerard Martin, and more recently Pau Cubarsi, all signed new long-term deals with the Catalan heavyweights.

Another player, Inigo Martinez, was also expected to ink a new deal with Barça in the final days of the January transfer window, but there has been no news on his contract signing.

Contract agreed, salary cap issues cause delay

Providing an update on the situation, The Athletic reports that Martinez has already reached an agreement with Barcelona over a new contract.

However, the La Liga leaders are not in a position to make an official announcement as there is not enough room in their salary cap to register the new deal.

Martinez, 33, has a contract that runs until the end of the season, but with an automatic extension option for another year if he features in 60% of the Blaugrana’s matches this season – which he is close to achieving.

New contract agreed. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

But, both Barcelona and head coach Hansi Flick have been so impressed with the Spaniard’s performances that they opened discussions well before that clause was triggered. As such, an agreement has now been reached to extend his stay until 2026.

Martinez is expected to retain his current salary of approximately €4 million per year in his new deal.

However, following recent contract renewals for Araujo, Pedri, Gavi, and Cubarsi, Barcelona now suspect that they may not have enough room in their salary budget to register the former Athletic Club defender’s new deal for the time being.

Familiar issue for Martinez

Registration issues are not new for Martinez at Barcelona. Upon arriving in the summer of 2023, the veteran defender had to wait until the summer transfer deadline day to be registered and as such ended up missing the start of the season.

Meanwhile, the 33-year-old also had to wait nervously to be registered at the start of the current season as well, with the matter getting sorted only after Ronald Araujo’s injury freed up space on the salary bill.

Despite the delay, Barcelona consider Martinez’s contract renewal a mere formality, and there is no concern over his future at the club.