Just in – Barcelona veteran star close to leaving amid Saudi Arabia interest | OneFootball

In a major development, Matteo Moretto reports that FC Barcelona veteran Inigo Martinez is close to leaving the club with interest from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

The update has also been corroborated and confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, who states that the defender and Barça are already discussing terms of a potential departure.

Shock development

Inigo was one of the first names on the teamsheet for Barcelona last season as they enjoyed a triumphant campaign, winning three trophies.

The Spanish defender adapted brilliantly to Hansi Flick’s high-backline tactics and was key to the team executing the offside trap with such fluency.

So much so that Barça renewed Martinez’s contract earlier this year, offering him fresh terms instead of just activating a one-year extension option that existed in his previous deal.

On his way out. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

However, it now appears that the Basque defender could very well be on his way out of Barcelona in the coming days, with Al-Nassr likely to be his next destination.

Inigo did not feature prominently during Barcelona’s pre-season tour of Asia due to some fatigue issues.

With Pau Cubarsi a guaranteed starter and the likes of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen also pushing for minutes, there was always a likelihood that the veteran could see his role diminish, especially given his advancing age and fitness concerns.

As such, it appears that he has decided that the time is right for him to move on from Barcelona and hop onto a new adventure in the Middle East.

All parties involved are understood to be in negotiations, and things could develop soon. Martinez’s departure could help Barcelona free up some salary space, which could be crucial in registering their new signings.