Barcelona remain confident of securing a summer deal for Athletic Club defender Inigo Martinez.
The 31-year-old centre back appears certain to move on from Bilbao when his contract expires at the end of the 2022/23 season.
Athletic Club have previously remained open to a renewal for Martinez, but he is keen to pursue a new challenge elsewhere in Spain, with no extension offered at this stage.
Barcelona are long standing admirers of the combative defender, stretching back over 12 months, but the Basque giants have been unwilling to sell, due to his importance in their team.
Despite rumoured interest from Atletico Madrid since the start of 2023, with Los Rojiblancos looking to take advantage of Barcelona ongoing financial issues, Martinez prefers a Camp Nou switch.
Reports from Diario Sport claim he is determined to join Barcelona, and will only consider other offers, if La Blaugrana are unable to sign him due to Financial Fair Play rules.
