€80 million Deal: Barcelona star finally to join Atletico Madrid this summer as club make a swap deal to retain Joao Felix permanently

€80 million Deal: Barcelona star finally to join Atletico Madrid this summer as club make a swap deal to retain Joao Felix permanently

Joan Laporta, the president of Barcelona, has stated in the open that he hopes to keep Felix on over the summer. The club’s financial position, however, prevents Laporta from caving in to Atletico’s demands, which are rumored to be in the neighborhood of €80 million (£69.3m/$84.8m). Journalist Marcos Duran thus claims that the Catalans would try to get the player by trading for seasoned defender Inigo Martinez.

Martinez has proven to be a valuable asset for Barcelona, offering consistent support to the team despite occasional injury setbacks. While Martinez has enjoyed his time at Barcelona, he harbours a desire for a more prominent role within the squad. Despite initially struggling for regular playing time, Martinez gradually integrated himself into the team’s setup during the season. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid’s interest in Martinez is substantial, especially considering the potential departure of Mario Hermoso and fitness concerns surrounding Jose Maria Gimenez.

However, the final decision regarding Martinez’s future hinges on various factors, including the status of Ronald Araujo. Should Araujo depart, Martinez’s chances of staying at Barcelona would increase. Conversely, if Araujo remains and Martinez seeks more playing time, a departure may be on the cards.

Martinez will likely be closely watched by Atletico until the end of the season before they decide what to do with him. To permanently remove Felix from their books, it is unclear if the Rojiblancos will settle for a player-plus-cash deal or accept a simple swap.

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