Free of any contract, Inigo Martinez has decided to give new impetus to his career by joining FC Barcelona. A great operation carried out by Barça, which has secured the services of a player with extensive La Liga experience, as informed by the Mundo Deportivo.
Launched into the deep end at the age of 20 with Real Sociedad, Inigo Martinez has since established himself as one of the best central defenders in the Spanish championship. Since the 2011-2012 season, he is the player who has won the most aerial duels, 859. Agile in the air, he also proves it on the pitch with the most clearances made (883) with Gerard Pique and Diego Godin. Finally, one of the last characteristics that defines him as a complete player in his position is his ability to recover balls. Whether with Real Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao, the native of Ondarroa has so far recorded 1971 recoveries. No doubt the 32-year-old will complement FC Barcelona’s defense wonderfully next season but could give his coach, Xavi Hernandez, a headache as he faces tough choices as his team is brimming with talent.