Barcelona have begun the process of renewing defender Gerard MartÃÂnâÂÂs contract, per multiple reports relayed by Barca Blaugranes. The 24-year-old is currently tied to the club until 2028, and Barça are said to be looking at a longer deal that would come with a bigger release clause and a higher salary.
There is reportedly no urgency on either side. So far, there have been no concrete negotiations or even a set date for a meeting on the matter, with only preliminary conversations having taken place between the two parties. It is a similar pattern to BarcelonaâÂÂs recent approach to renewing another emerging squad player, locking down value before a breakout campaign pushes the price up further.
Why Barcelona want to retain MartÃÂn
MartÃÂn has risen through the ranks to become an important part of Hansi FlickâÂÂs set-up. A Barcelona native, he came through UE CornellàâÂÂs academy before progressing to BarcelonaâÂÂs B team, and reports suggest he is happy to stay with his hometown club.
Trained as a left-back, MartÃÂn has broken through as a centre-back under Flick, and Barça reportedly see him continuing to be a key part of the squad, with the expectation he could improve further as time goes on. It fits a broader pattern of the club rewarding academy graduates who force their way into FlickâÂÂs plans, much as it did with Marc Bernal after his own breakthrough.
The terms Barcelona are reportedly considering
The existing contract runs until 2028, but Barça are said to want MartÃÂn tied down for longer than that. The reported changes centre on an improved salary and a larger release clause rather than any transfer fee, since this is squad retention rather than a market move.
It is a similar dynamic to other ongoing contract conversations at the club, where Barça are working to protect the value of players who have outgrown their original terms before other suitors take notice.
MartÃÂnâÂÂs role and the current defensive picture
With Ronald Araújo out on loan at Liverpool, Barcelona are set to use MartÃÂn often this season alongside Pau Cubarsàat the back. Andreas Christensen has shared the other centre-back duties to start the campaign, while Eric GarcÃÂa remains available but is more often used as a full-back.
There was talk of Barcelona pursuing a centre-back signing over the summer, though none arrived, leaving MartÃÂnâÂÂs minutes largely uncontested. He was recently injured after a blow to the face in the win over Levante, though he is expected to recover quickly and remain part of FlickâÂÂs regular rotation at the back.
