Barca prepare with Inigo Martinez

Barcelona are so confident of completing the signing of Real Sociedad’s Inigo Martinez they are already preparing him for the Spanish Super Cup, say reports.

The first leg of the opening to the Spanish football season between Copa Del Rey winners Barca and La Liga champions Real Madrid takes place at the Camp Nou on Sunday with the return at the Bernabeu three days later.

26-year-old Martinez has a €32m release clause at the Anoeta which is expected to be triggered this week, with Diario Sport reporting a deal was ‘imminent’ last Friday.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his La Real counter-part Jokin Aperribay have reportedly been locked in negotiations since to swiftly conclude a deal, say Marca.

The central defender has amassed 193 La Liga appearances for the Basques since his debut in 2011 and his current deal at the club runs until June 2021.

Part of Spain’s Under-21 European Championship winning side in 2013, Martinez has gone on to be capped four times at senior level for La Roja.

The Blaugrana are set to reinvest the €222m they will receive from Neymar’s impending world record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain and reinforcing the defence is on the agenda.

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