Why Iñigo Martínez’s Exit Is Concerning for Barça – What It Means for Registrations, Injuries, and Planning

The shock exit of Iñigo Martínez from FC Barcelona. This move has caught fans and even the media completely off guard, raising significant questions about the club’s planning, registration issues, and depth for the new season.

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A Sudden and Surprising Departure

On Thursday evening, news broke that Martínez was leaving Barça — a player who had been a key figure in our backline last season. The speed of the deal was stunning. For many supporters, it felt unthinkable to start the season without him.

It appears that coach Hansi Flick may have been aware of the situation earlier than the public, given his reaction to Mika Faye’s preseason injury scare. We’ve also seen Flick experimenting with Gerard Martin at centre-back, likely as a contingency. The problem? Martin was also meant to provide depth at left-back, where we’ve made no new signings. That’s added pressure on him and on young talent like Jofre Torrents, who may now get more first-team chances.

Defensive Depth and Player Futures

Martínez’s exit effectively guarantees the futures of Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araújo, while Eric García and Jules Koundé remain options at centre-back and right-back. However, depth is still thin. Barça are being linked to Atlético Madrid B defender Gerónimo Spina. Still, it’s worth noting that we sold promising centre-back Mika Mármol earlier in the summer for just €400,000 — a decision that now looks questionable.

Why Did Iñigo Martínez Leave?

Reports suggest the player requested the move, with Saudi club Al-Nassr offering a higher salary. However, the contract is only for one year (with an option for a second), so it’s not a huge long-term payday. Some say Martínez doubted his ability to play 50 high-intensity games this season due to past injuries.

Others believe the club was happy to let him go to free up wages, given the need to make space under Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. Martínez is known as a professional who wouldn’t stay if he wasn’t wanted, but this leads to a bigger concern: Barça let him leave for free.

Iñigo Martínez: The Transfer Fee Problem

Iñigo Martínez reportedly had a clause allowing him to leave for free if a significant offer arrived — a clause the club itself agreed to. While he joined on a free transfer, he was on a huge salary (€14 million/year), so simply giving him away makes no sense financially. Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident.

We’ve repeatedly sold or released players for well below market value: Franck Kessié for €12m (worth 3–4 times more), Pablo Torre for €5m, and Noah Darvich for under €1m. These sales weaken our financial position, which directly affects our salary cap and registration ability.

Registrations Still Not Sorted

Even after freeing up Iñigo Martínez’s wages, Barça are still not under the “1-for-1” rule that would allow full use of wage savings for new signings. As it stands, we can only use part of the freed-up salary, meaning players like Marcus Rashford still can’t be registered. The club continues to operate in desperation mode, offloading players suddenly to register others, with no long-term stability.

Injury Concerns Ahead of the New Season

To make matters worse, Robert Lewandowski has been ruled out of the Gamper Trophy match against Como with thigh muscle discomfort. At 36, this could be a sign of more fitness challenges ahead. Flick is reportedly considering Rashford as a No. 9 option, alongside Ferran Torres, who impressed last season.

Dani Olmo also missed training due to muscle overload — not serious for now, but worrying given his injury struggles last season. With competition for attacking spots fierce, missing early games could cost him his place.