Barcelona have been busy in the summer transfer window, and once again pounced on free agents available on the market.
One of the players arriving at no cost was Inigo Martinez, who joined from Athletic Club following the conclusion of his contract with the Basque side.
However, since joining, injuries have not allowed the Spanish international to feature on the pitch for the Blaugranas yet.
The player is still recovering from a foot injury he suffered in the previous season and has not yet trained with his new teammates.
Martinez was absent from the pre-season friendlies on the tour of the US and was unavailable for Barça’s season opener against Getafe.
Inigo Martinez on the road to recovery.
Despite missing the initial stages of the campaign, Achraf Ben Ayad has come out to report that Martinez is closing in on full recovery, and the expectations are that he will be ready in about a week.
This bodes excellent news for the Barcelona faithful, who have yet to see the experienced veteran flaunt his skills in the club’s jersey.
Martinez joined the Catalan giants to cover a critical void in a lineup that was lacking a left-footed center-back. Barça signed the Spaniard on a two-year contract with a €400 million release clause.
Martinez will enable Xavi to tinker around with the backline more often, owing to increased options.
As a player capable of easing the burden off the starters and providing his experience, he will inevitably prove to be of great use.
The 32-year-old underwent surgery to aid with the pain at the end of the previous season, which is why he is still working alone as of right now.
Even so, once he is handed the green light, which is reportedly set to be given in about a week’s time, Martinez will be able to make his long-awaited debut with Barcelona.
