The departure of Íñigo Martínez has caught everyone by surprise. Last year, the Basque center-back was an undisputed starter under Hansi Flick's orders and formed one of the most solid defensive duos alongside Pau Cubarsí. This season, Íñigo Martínez was expected to remain a key piece for Barça.
However, he has decided to take a turn in his career and move to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Nassr.
His decision has caught the board and the fans by surprise, as they trusted his continued presence at the club.
Transfer details and the secret clause
The transfer has been completed in a surprising way. Íñigo Martínez is leaving for free, even though he still had one year left on his contract with Barça.
The club has decided to let him go without asking for any transfer fee, which has surprised more than a few.
This way, the Basque center-back will go to Saudi Arabia with a multi-million contract. Rumor has it that he will earn between €15 and €20 million per season, a figure (between €15 and €20 million) that's very hard to turn down.
The details of the transfer indicate that, when he renewed his contract, Íñigo Martínez included a clause that would allow him to leave FC Barcelona if he received an offer from Saudi Arabia. That's exactly what has happened, and the footballer hasn't hesitated to make the decision.
Pau Cubarsí takes on all the responsibility
With Íñigo Martínez's departure, all defensive responsibility now falls on Pau Cubarsí. The young Barça center-back will have to face the team's upcoming challenges without his best partner in the backline.
That's why Pau Cubarsí has decided to make a move and take an important step, informing his club of his intention: "I'm going to wear number 5." The legendary number, which until now was worn by Íñigo Martínez, has become available after his departure. Now, Pau Cubarsí will be responsible for giving it significance.
The decision has already been made. Pau Cubarsí is now listed on LaLiga's website with the number '5', a symbol that reflects his growing importance in the team.
This way, the young center-back accepts that he will have to take on a leadership role in Barça's defense.
Íñigo Martínez's departure marks the end of an era for the most solid center-back pairing of last season.
Now, Pau Cubarsí will have to lead the defense alone, but he has the trust of the board and the blaugrana coaching staff to do so.