Barcelona are set to revive their interest in Girona defender Arnau Martinez this summer alongside La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid.
The 20-year-old has continued to develop into one of the best right backs in the Spanish top flight, across the last 12 months, and Xavi is weighing up a possible move to bring him back to the club.
The Spain U21 international left Barcelona, after six years with the La Masia academy, to join local side Centre d’Esports l’Hospitalet, before signing for Girona in 2021.
Barcelona and Atletico have both regularly scouted the Catalan native with Girona aware of the growing interest in one of their star assets.
Arnau Martinez, one of the breakout stars of this Liga campaign.
Brilliant. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/PBF3XaSsaX
— Michael (@LaLigaMichael) June 4, 2023
Martinez is currently away on international duty, with La Roja competing in the European U21 championships in Georgia and Romania, and he admitted a summer exit is a strong possibility.
“I’ve told my agents that if I have something (a possible transfer), then let’s talk at the end of the season, when the Euros are over”, as per reports from Marca.
“I think if they told me something now, I wouldn’t lose concentration, but I’d prefer to avoid it.”
Santi Denia’s U21 side have been drawn in Group B in the tournament, after securing eight wins from eight qualification games, and they will face co-hosts Romania, Ukraine and Croatia in the coming days.
