The rojiblanco summer soap opera continues without reaching its end in the middle of winter. Iñigo Martínez’s situation at Athletic, contractually at least, remains the same as when the possibility of him signing for Barça was mooted a few months ago. Koundé’s arrival at the Barca club seems to have cut off what signs of being a reality and from then until now, at least publicly, no news has been revealed on this matter.
“For us he is a super important player. Highest level within the squad. Both the player and his entourage know that Athletic wants to count on him and we have been working since the beginning”, said Mikel González as soon as he was introduced as the new director of football of the rojiblanco club.
Jon Uriarte himself commented that same day in relation to this that “we want Iñigo to stay with us for many more years. We didn’t set a deadline. We’re leaving all possibilities open.”
The situation at the sporting level has been different for the Ondarroa centre-back from the summer to this part. In the beginning it was difficult for him to enter the dynamics of the team due to the knee injury he suffered in the friendly held in Newcastle at the end of July. Subsequently, Luis Enrique chose not to include him in the final call-up for the Spanish team for the World Cup. Once back in domestic competition after the World Cup in Qatar, Valverde selected Yeray and Vivian as centre-backs for the clashes against Sestao River and Betis, matches which Iñigo Martínez had to watch from the bench. Yesterday he didn’t even train with his teammates
“He is having some discomfort, but he is in a good position to play against Betis and one hundred percent, but in the end the decision was made by me,” explained Valverde about the replacement of the left-handed central defender in the Villamarín clash.
The player, for his part, pointed out in an interview with Onda Vasca at the beginning of November that “my future is not clear. I must say that I am happy here, that I am comfortable. These issues of my renewal are it’s not the time or place to talk about them. The day will come, we’ll talk. My representatives and the club have brought it up. I’m staying on the sidelines to do my job.”
no negotiation
Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet, for their part, have their contracts as lions up on June 30, 2024. The club has made it clear that they intend to sit down and negotiate, but so far there has been no movement in this regard . Have to wait.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
