The possibility of Iñigo Martínez returning to Barcelona in the upcoming winter transfer window has been raised in recent days, with the hope that he can rescue the Catalan club from its defensive woes.
The Basque defender left Barcelona last summer on a free transfer to Al-Nassr, and since then, a clear defensive crisis has emerged, with the decline in form of Ronald Araujo and Pau Coparci, and the recurring injuries of Andreas Christensen.
It was suggested that Martínez might be ready to return to Barcelona in January to replace Araujo, who seems to be nearing the end of his time at the Camp Nou.
However, according to the newspaper “Sport,” the rumors of Iñigo Martínez’s return to Barcelona are completely unfounded, and there is no chance of the player leaving Al-Nassr in January.
On the one hand, Barcelona has renewed its confidence in Araujo and wants him to regain his confidence and play again soon. On the other hand, Martínez himself wants to stay with Al-Nassr, and his Saudi club will not allow him to leave, regardless of the offers he receives.
Barcelona have adapted to the fact that the 32-year-old is past his prime, and the club has already begun looking for other options to bolster their defense next summer, with Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck remaining the top choice on coach Hansi Flick’s shortlist.
