"Competition is good for everyone" - Barcelona star rules out exit by sending clear message to fans

Barcelona left-back Gerard Martin has admitted that he wants to remain with the club despite rumors suggesting an exit. According to Mundo Deportivo, the 23-year-old Spaniard caught the eye of several Premier League clubs, but a move is now off the table.

He is apparently not bothered by the fact that Hansi Flick could also look to bring in a third player in this position. The Blaugrana were linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo, who would've added competition in this area of the pitch.

At the moment, Martin is competing with Alejandro Balde, who is the first choice in this role. Speaking in an interview with Mundo Deportivo about a potential exit, the defender said (via Football Espana):

“I don’t know if those things are true. If they were, they would have told me. I’m very happy here, at Barca, and I don’t want to leave. If the coach and the management have faith in me, I can’t ask for more."

After coming through the ranks at Barcelona, Martin has made 42 senior appearances across competitions, bagging a goal and six assists. He's won the La Liga and Copa del Rey trophies once each, along with one other honor during his time in Camp Nou.

With Balde still the first-choice, maybe it would be reasonable for the youngster to think of a move away.

Barcelona goalkeeper offered four-year deal amid conflict with Blaugrana over exit this summer- Reports

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s future remains uncertain amid a conflict with the club over his exit. The German is seemingly not in the Blaugrana's plans, with the club having signed Joan Garcia to become their first-choice shot-stopper heading into the new campaign.

A report from SPORT now suggests that there may be a way out for Ter Stegen, with Galatasaray offering the player a four-year deal (via Barca Universal). However, this is on the condition that the 33-year-old leaves Camp Nou on a free.

At the moment, he still has three years left on his contract at Barcelona, but the club are willing to let him walk away for free. However, they want to save a huge portion of the remaining salary to be paid and hope that Ter Setegen will waive off a reasonable chunk of his expected wages.

It seems to be a bitter end to the career of a player who made 422 appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana, keeping 175 clean sheets.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Know More

Edited by Rahul Naresh