The return of Xavi Hernandez had Barcelonaback on their feet. After years of suffering an identity crisis, the appointmentof the former midfielder as head coach has been the best decision the Culesmade in a long time.
Since Xavi took over, Barca not only started to get results but also brought backtheir offensive-minded trademarkstyle of play, based on possession and high pressing. On top of that, the club has once again become an attractive landing spot for world-class players.
This summer, the Blaugrana landed the likes of Robert Lewandowski andRaphinha,something that looked impossible a year ago – not only due tofinancial reasons. Though the transfer market is closed, the club continues to monitor players for the future and a former academy defender is reportedly on their radar.
Transfer Rumors: Barcelona eye former La Masia player
According to Adrian Sanchez of Mas Que Pelotas, Barcelona are closely monitoring the progress ofGirona right-back Arnau Martinez. Barca have reportedly been tracking the 19-year-old from last season, when they even thought of landing him on loan with an option to buy.
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Martinez is no stranger to Barcelona, given that hewas part of La Masia between 2010 and 2016. However, after spending two years at L’Hospitalet, Martinez joined Catalan rivals Girona and eventually made his way to the first team, which was promoted to LaLiga for the 2022-23 season.
Barcelona had already explored targets at theright-back position this summer, ultimately signing another former La Masia player in Hector Bellerin. However, it’s a positionBarca will probably have to revisit given that Bellerin and Sergi Roberto‘s contracts expire in 2023.
Therefore, Martinez has emergedas a potential candidate to fill in a vacancy. He is young, he knows the club and has the potential to improve. However, he is under contract with Girona until 2025. Only time will tell how this plays out.
