Hansi Flick wants Gerard Martín to continue at FC Barcelona and does not plan to let him go. The player received offers from England, but rejected them to compete for a place in the club. In that sense, the coach has given the youth player confidence by giving him a good amount of minutes in the preseason.
Teams like Wolverhampton and Bournemouth showed interest in the player, but despite the fact that Barça is looking for exits to comply with the 'Fair Play' financial and be able to register the rest of their players, having the 23-year-old defender in the first team squad is a priority for the club.
Flick defines a new role in defense for Gerard Martín
Flick sees Martín as a versatile piece in his defensive scheme. Last season he played as a full-back on the left, replacing Alejandro Balde during his absence with outstanding performances in the final stretch of the season. Not in vain, he closed the 24/25 season with 1 goal and 6 assists in 42 matches (1,793 minutes).
However, after the departure of Iñigo Martínez, Flick intends to redefine Gerard's role, testing his skills in the middle of the defense. He did so during the preseason, where the '35' added a couple of assists in 4 games (115 minutes). Against Daegu, he started alongside Ronald Araujo as a central defender.
At 23 years old, Martín dominates the Blaugrana defensive scheme, including the offside tactic, which allows the club to dispense with a new signing for this demarcation. In addition, the defender will be able to lend a hand as a replacement for the Araujo-Cubarsí duo, for now untouchable without Iñigo.
Barça defines its replacement in defense
Jofre Torrents is presented as a natural replacement for Balde on the left side, but this has not closed the doors to Gerard Martín, who seeks to show Flick that he is a solid and reliable option for the defense of the Catalan club.
The youth player, after the preseason, has received the approval of Flick, showing a clean exit with the ball controlled and adaptability in different positions. The German coach insisted that he stay and the club rejected several offers to retain him.
It is also worth noting that Iñigo's departure opens a real window of opportunity in the rotation. For now, Eric García and Andreas Christensen are the other central defenders of the team, although the '24' has settled as an alternative to Jules Koundé on the right. Is the coaching staff doing well in ratifying their confidence in Gerard Martín?