With Gerard Pique leaving Nou Camp on retirement, Xavi has already marked out a replacement as the player greenlights their deal.
Inigo Martinez appears keen on a Barcelona move after claiming talking about his contract now could create confusions and would rather leave his agent to deal with the club directly.
Indeed this could be the aftermath of Barcelona identifying him as a transfer target following the departure of Gerard Pique.
Not just will Martinez fill the role well, he will also come as a free agent when his contract expires in 2023 and that’s one thing Barcelona really love now as they fight to escape their financial deep.
Speaking in an interview, the 31-year-old shared his opinion when asked about his future as he red lights Bilbao extension despite claiming to be happy in the club.
“I am happy here, I am very comfortable. Let’s say that my future is not at all clear, but this is not the time or the place to be able to talk about the subject of my renewal. All this can lead you to confusion. I avoid any topic of this type,” he stated.
“The negotiations are there, the issue is being handled by my representatives, doing the best for me and for Athletic,” he added.