Iñigo Martínez Don Pack Im Bags Go Al-Nassr: Wetin Dey Happen?
Na big tori for football world as Barcelona defender, Iñigo Martínez, don gree pack im bags go join Al-Nassr for Saudi Pro League.
Dis move wey shock plenty fans come like thief for night, and e don make everybody dey talk.
How dis one take happen? Why Iñigo, wey be key man for Barça last season, go leave La Liga champions go Middle East? Make we break am down for pidgin, so you go fit grab wetin dey sup.
Iñigo Martínez, wey be 34 years old, na one strong defender wey don play for big clubs like Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, and Barcelona.
Last season, e show imself as one of di best for im position, helping Barça win La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Supercopa.
E play 46 matches, score one goal, and make six assists, according to reports from The Athletic. E be like wall for Barça defense, especially under coach Hansi Flick, wey like high-backline tactics.
Iñigo fit into dat style well well, and e even get new contract extension earlier dis year. So, why e go leave now?
Di tori start when Matteo Moretto and Fabrizio Romano, two big football journalists, drop di news say Al-Nassr dey eye Iñigo.
Before you know am, Romano don give im famous “Here We Go” stamp, meaning di deal don set. According to posts on X and plenty web reports, Iñigo go join Al-Nassr for free, as Barça gree terminate im contract wey still get one year to run.
Dis one shock fans because dem bin dey expect maybe Ronald Araujo or Andreas Christensen go leave, not Iñigo, wey be first-choice defender.
Wetin dey behind dis move? E be like say Iñigo get one “gentleman’s agreement” for im contract with Barça.
Dis agreement, as Mundo Deportivo talk am, say if big offer come from Saudi Arabia or any of dose rich leagues, Barça go let am go for free.
Last year, Iñigo get similar offer but e choose to stay because Flick convince am say im project for Barça go sweet. But dis time, di money wey Al-Nassr put for table too big to say no. Dem talk say e go sign contract till June 2026, with option to extend for another year.
For Barça, dis move get sense for financial side. Iñigo na one of di highest earners for di club, and im exit go free up like €12-14 million for salary space, according to Tribuna and EFE.
Dis money go help Barça register new signings like Marcus Rashford and Joan Garcia, wey dem dey struggle to fit into La Liga financial rules.
But e no go easy to replace Iñigo, because e bring leadership and experience wey young defenders like Pau Cubarsí go miss. Now, Barça go rely on Cubarsí, Araujo, Christensen, and maybe Eric Garcia or Jules Koundé for center-back.
Al-Nassr, wey get Cristiano Ronaldo, Aymeric Laporte, and Marcelo Brozović, dey build strong squad, and Iñigo go join dem to add more quality. Fans for X dey talk say dis move show how Saudi clubs dey use big money to pull top players.
One user, @kkhlidalharbi, even confirm say Iñigo activate di clause to leave for free, and im salary go help Barça breathe small. But some Barça fans, like @culersgrasroot_, no too happy, saying e be “big loss” for di club.
For Iñigo, dis move fit be im last big contract, as e dey near di end of im career. At 34, e don achieve plenty for Spain, and now e go try new adventure with Ronaldo and co.
Some fans, like Lloyd Roberts on Tribuna, hail am as a “gentleman” wey show love for Barça, even as e dey leave. Others, like Saint Ademola, dey vex, calling out other players like Ter Stegen instead.
As di deal dey wrap up, Iñigo don reportedly miss training to go finalize everything with Al-Nassr. Barça go feel di gap wey im departure go leave, but di money wey dem save go help dem solve some wahala.
For now, we dey wait official confirmation from di clubs, but e be like say Iñigo Martínez don ready to shine for Saudi Arabia. Wetin you think about dis transfer? Na good move for Iñigo and Barça, or na mistake? Drop your mind for comment section!