Barcelona have good reports on €20 million ex-defender, player wishes for Camp Nou return

Arnau Martinez was one of the names on the list of Barcelona when they were hunting for a new right-back during the January transfer window.

Although the move did not materialise, a recent report from Diario SPORT suggests Barcelona have received good reports on the youngster, who is set to play against his former club at Camp Nou this coming Monday when Barça take on Girona.

It is no secret that signing a right-back is one of Barcelona’s priorities ahead of the coming summer. To that end, Martinez is certainly one of the options the club might be keeping track of, as the youngster has enjoyed a stellar season at Girona.

Formerly of the famed La Masia academy, Martinez has featured in almost 100 competitive matches for Girona. He played a critical role in the club’s promotion to the top-flight last season. Even in the current season, he has racked up three goals and two assists.

Martinez did have a release clause worth only €5 million, but it increased to €20 million following Girona’s promotion. Nevertheless, he could be an exciting option for Barcelona as they scour the market for a new right-back.

However, it must be noted that Martinez is not one of Barça’s priority targets for the summer. Not to mention, Atletico Madrid are also interested in the youngster and reportedly have a pre-agreement with the player over a summer move to the Civitas Metropolitano.

Barcelona, for their part, are looking out for more established options. They have been recently linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen starlet Jeremie Frimpong, although Xavi is ideally targeting Juan Foyth of Villarreal, among others.