Chelsea are reportedly showing serious interest in signing Barcelona defender Gerard Martin, as per Caught Offside.
The 24-year-old started his youth career at EF Performance before spending time with Sant Gabriel and Cornellá. He joined the Blaugrana in 2023 before making his first team debut the following year.
Initially, he featured as a rotational option before starting regularly last campaign. In 51 appearances across all competitions, he registered a solitary assist and kept 10 clean sheets.
The Spaniard has enjoyed great success at Camp Nou over the last two seasons, winning two La Liga titles and a few domestic cup competitions.
Now, Caught Offside claim that although Hansi Flick considers Martin a key player, Barcelona might be open to cashing-in on him this summer to balance the books. They could accept up to £30m, with his existing deal set to run until 2028.
Chelsea are showing serious interest in signing him, but AC Milan are also in this race and previously launched a proposal worth around £17m. They are now planning to improve their proposal and are ready to match Barcelona’s asking price.
Martin is a 6ft 1in tall left-footed versatile defender, as he is comfortable in the left-back and LCB roles. He is quick, good in the air, technically sound, comfortable playing out from the back, and is efficient in defensive contributions.
Martin to Chelsea
Following Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid, Chelsea currently have Jorrel Hato as the only option to deploy in the left-back position. Levi Colwill can provide cover in this area if needed.
However, he is more comfortable centrally and has just returned from a serious knee issue. Therefore, the Blues could do with signing a new left-sided defender.
Martin is a talented player and isn’t a finished article yet. He possesses the necessary attributes to flourish in Xabi Alonso’s possession-based system.
Therefore, the Barcelona star would be a shrewd acquisition for Chelsea should they purchase him. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the West London club eventually manage to lure him away from Camp Nou in this transfer window.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are closing in on a deal to sign Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace to bolster the backline.
Other News
