Why signing Inigo Martinez is smart for Barcelona

Cowl wanted defensively

We’ve got sufficient centre-backs already. He’s 32 years of age. I get it. Nevertheless, signing Inigo Martinez on a free switch nonetheless makes plenty of sense for Barcelona.

For starters, right here we’ve a ball-playing left-sided centre-back of which there aren’t that many at his stage, and whose total 83.6 move completion price, per WhoScored, isn’t that unhealthy, even when Ronald Araujo (88.2), Jules Kounde (87.7), Andreas Christensen (93.2) and Marcos Alonso (91) all have higher averages in that division.

Let’s be clear. Martinez is ostensibly being signed as cowl, and with there being subsequent to no drop off when it comes to passing vary, his capability each on the bottom and within the air, the very fact he’s a bit ‘old school’ on the subject of defending… it’s arduous to make a case not to signal him.

Photograph by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Pictures

There’s no switch to talk of, he’ll not drain the coffers with astronomical wages and he already has a profitable 12-year profession within the Spanish high flight – that type of expertise will show invaluable and maintain the blaugranes in good stead over the subsequent couple of seasons.

Certainly, what number of instances have we watched Barca play in opposition to him and marvelled at simply what an achieved centre-back he’s, in addition to being an actual warrior.

He isn’t frightened to make use of the darker arts when required and, with the potential exception of Araujo, we don’t actually have a defender that wears his coronary heart on his sleeve and is keen to place completely every part on the road within the pursuit of three factors.

Maybe, if issues had been completely different on the membership when it comes to funds, Martinez wouldn’t be signed, however the plain reality is we nonetheless want cowl, and would arguably have purchased somebody to offer simply that, no matter monetary scenario we have been in.

Photograph by Manuel Reino Berengui/DeFodi Pictures by way of Getty Pictures

What number of instances this season for instance have you ever held your head in your arms when Alonso’s identify has been on the crew sheet?

If somebody will get injured, or if Xavi simply needs to present somebody a relaxation, it’s the previous Chelsea man he invariably turns to.

Martinez shakes issues up a bit and can pressure his contemporaries to up their recreation if they need a spot within the aspect forward of him.

I settle for that it is probably not probably the most earth-shattering signing that the membership have ever made, however there are much more positives than negatives to this signing for my part.

Supply – www.barcablaugranes.com