Barcelona’s interest in 24-year-old defender growing since Inigo Martinez’s exit

Barcelona were dealt a surprise blow this summer when Inigo Martinez decided to leave the club after receiving a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian giants Al-Nassr.

The veteran centre-back had been a key part of the team’s success under Hansi Flick last season, with his tactical acumen, defensive nous, and leadership making him crucial.

Having lost him this season, Flick is yet to find his best defensive partnership so far, leading to a slight instability in the backline.

At the same time, Barça have begun working on signing a left-footed centre-back, having already explored a potential move for a low-cost option in the summer without any success.

Interest growing in Goncalo Inacio

One of the names on Barcelona’s radar for the left-sided centre-back role happens to be Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio.

In fact, according to The Athletic, the Catalan giants have been tracking the 24-year-old defender in recent months, and their interest in him has only grown since Inigo Martinez’s summer exit.

Barcelona like Goncalo Inacio (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

Inacio, a product of the Sporting youth academy, has grown into a key player for the Portuguese outfit and has even made his senior debut for the national team, making 17 appearances.

The central defender’s contract with Sporting runs until 2027, meaning he would be entering the final year of his deal next summer, at which point he could become available for a reasonable fee, provided he does not sign a renewal.

Either way, Inacio is on Barcelona’s radars and is being closely monitored by sporting director Deco as the La Liga champions look for a new left-footed central defender.

Other names like Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni are also on the list, although, he would be an expensive option. Brazilian talent Luis Benedetti is also on the radar.