Former Athletic club defender Inigo Martinez joins Barcelona on a free transfer, becoming Xavi’s second acquisition of the summer following Ilkay Gundogan.

After Ilkay Gundogan, Inigo Martinez, a former defender for Athletic Club, has been signed by Barcelona. He is Xavi’s second summer acquisition.

The Spanish centre defender has signed a two-year contract with a €400 million release clause with the Catalan club, keeping him at the Camp Nou until June 30, 2025. The 32-year-old is a seasoned player who played in over 350 La Liga games with Athletic and scored 22 goals. He was a long-time target for Barcelona.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Martinez had been in talks with the La Liga champions since January and after his contract with Athletic ended in June, he signed on the dotted line for Barcelona having reached a verbal agreement in April. He had already completed his medical last month and was spotted at the club’s training facilities on Tuesday while doing a photo session for his unveiling.

• Gundogan will join Barcelona on a free transfer.

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WHAT NEXT? Martinez beccomes the second signing for Barcelona this summer after they roped in treble-winner Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City, who was also a free agent. Both players will be available for pre-season training in July before heading off to the USA tour where the club will face the likes of Juventus, Arsenal, Real Madrid and AC Milan.