Center-back Íñigo Martínez has brought his time at FC Barcelona to an end, saying goodbye to his teammates at the Joan Gamper Training Ground on Friday before traveling to Saudi Arabia to sign with Al-Nassr. Over the past two seasons, the Basque defender formed a solid partnership with Pau Cubarsí, establishing himself as a key figure in the Catalan side’s backline.

His departure was already contemplated in his last contract renewal, which included a special clause allowing him to leave on a free transfer if a significant offer from Saudi football arrived. That offer came this summer, and Martínez had no hesitation in accepting it. Club president Joan Laporta was even present at his farewell, alongside the rest of the squad.

A boost for financial fair play

The defender’s exit offers Barcelona some financial relief, freeing up around €14 million in wages. This margin will allow, among other things, the registration of goalkeeper Joan García in LaLiga, one of the moves the board had been eager to finalize before the start of the season.

Beyond the financial aspect, Martínez’s departure leaves a void in Barça’s defense, where his experience and leadership had become a reference point, particularly for the younger players in the squad.

A thinner defensive line

With Martínez gone, Barcelona now has four central defenders: Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araújo —the new captain—, Andreas Christensen and Eric García, who spent much of last season playing as a right-back. They are joined by Jules Koundé, who arrived as a center-back but has often been deployed on the right side of defense.