Who will replace Gerard Piqué at Barcelona? Xavi wants Bilbao mainstay Iñigo Martínez, 31

On Thursday, Gerard Piqué announced that Saturday’s match against Almeria will be his last game as a professional at the Camp Nou, and he will say his final farewell to his playing career on Tuesday against Osasuna. Although his performance has not been at the highest level in recent months, Xavi has no shortage of stoppers. Iñigo Martínez was therefore expected to come in as a replacement from rival Bilbao.

The shock for many Barcelona supporters and a significant part of the football world was Piqué’s Instagram video where he says goodbye to the club of his heart and its fans.

It was in it that he announced that the home game of the upcoming 13th round of La Liga would be the end of his career as a professional footballer, at least in front of his own fans at Camp Nou.

The truth is that few of the current Blaugranas squad have been taking it harder on social media in recent weeks than just Carles Puyol’s former teammate.

Piqué’s gaffe in the Champions League match against Inter, which the Catalans only drew and have to settle for the Europa League, didn’t help matters much either.

This season, it has been clear to see that the undisciplined Xavi prefers Araújo, Garcia, Christensen and Koundé, leaving the experienced world and European champion, like his colleague Alba, on the bench most of the time.

Barcelona, however, have been caught in an unenviable turnover of players, with three stoppers injured and the summer arrival Marcos Alonso having to be hastily retrained as a central defender.

Stopper Iñigo Martínez

Piqué’s replacement, according to Marca, Xavi has eyed up Martínez in the colours of Athletico in the Basque Country, who was eyed at the Camp Nou two years ago, and there was talk of his arrival again in September due to several injured stoppers.

Moreover, the Spanish defender, who transferred to Bilbao in January 2018 from Real Sociedad for €32 million, has only signed his current contract until the end of this season.

This, of course, plays into the Catalan club’s hands, as his buyout clause would be set at €80 million, which Barcelona are unlikely to pay. This is despite the fact that they will save a lot of money on Piqué’s departure.

Sources: Marca, Transfermarkt