Barcelona open to changing transfer plan after unexpected departure of Inigo Martinez as Hansi Flick considers new signing: Reports

Barcelona are willing to target a new defender following Inigo Martinez's sudden departure from Camp Nou, according to SPORT. The Spanish manager has agreed to leave the Catalans as a free agent to move to Al-Nassr this summer.

Although the trasnsfer isn't official yet, Martinez has reportedly said his goodbye to his teammates. The 34-year-old registered 46 appearances across competitions last season, all but one of which was from the start, to help secure a domestic treble.

Martinez was indispensable for Hansi Flick last campaign, and his departure has jeopardized the LaLiga champions' summer plans. Hansi Flick initially wanted a new goalkeeper and a winger before the new season, and Barcelona have signed Joan Garcia and Marcus Rashford for the job.

The German manager also wanted reinforcements in the full-back position, and the Catalans initially eyed the likes of Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo for the job. However, the Spanish champions' poor finances restricted their spending in the market.

Interestingly, Barcelona are now considering a versatile defender who can carry out multiple jobs at the back to address Martinez's departure. Flick already tested left-back Gerard Martin in the centerback position in pre-season to mixed effect.

The Catalans remain focused on trying to register Joao Garcia, Wojciech Szczesny, and Rashford before the start of the new campaign. A new defender, as such, will only be possible if the Spanish champions manage to return to LaLiga's 1:1 rule.

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Will Inigo Martinez's departure help Barcelona return to LaLiga's 1:1 rule?

Inigo Martinez

Inigo Martinez's departure will not be enough for Barcelona to return to LaLiga's 1:1 rule, reports MARCA. The Catalans' financial struggles have also posed a problem to the registration of new signing Joan Garcia and Marcus Rashford.

The Spanish champions signed Garcia from Espanyol this summer, while the Englishman arrived on a season-long loan from Manchester United. However, neither player have been registered with LaLiga so far, raising questions about their involvement in the new season.

Martinez's departure will create free space in Barcelona's salary structure, given that the player earned €14m in wages at Camp Nou. However, it won't be enough to register new signings, as the club's spendings remain restricted by FFP norms.

Because the Catalans are yet to achieve LaLiga's 1:1 rule, they can only use 50% of the salary released by Inigo Martinez's departure for new signings. Meanwhile, amortisation of Garcia's reported €25m release clause has further complicated matters for the Spanish champions.