Barcelona are heading into the final stretch of the transfer window with the urgency to register several footballers. Among them is Gerard Martín, a left-back who, as of today, still hasn't been officially registered in LaLiga. His case is delicate because he is already over 23 years old and, therefore, can only be registered as a first-team member; he can no longer have a spot on the reserve team.
Hansi Flick considers him a useful player, but the emergence of Jofre Torrents has considerably reduced his prominence at left-back. At least, during preseason. In fact, in the summer he even played as a center-back in some friendlies, showing that the German coach is looking for new roles to make use of him.
José Álvarez's information on El Chiringuito
Journalist José Álvarez reported on Sport Plus from El Chiringuito that Gerard Martín received a significant offer from the Premier League this very weekend. However, the left-back made a clear decision: he rejected the offer because he wants to stay at Barça.
According to José Álvarez, the Catalan club wants to register him and Flick has stated that he counts on him. Even so, Barcelona's financial situation forces them to study every operation that could free up space in the squad. Precisely for this reason, the defender appears among the possible departures.
His role in the team last season
Gerard Martín was Alejandro Balde's usual backup during the last campaign. Every time the academy graduate was injured or needed rest, he replied with good performances. He even played high-stakes matches in the later rounds of the Champions League, where he showed personality and the ability to compete at the highest level. He also scored important goals.
His performance was one of the pleasant surprises for the coaching staff and the fans. However, Torrents's breakthrough has left him in a more secondary position. Although, he now has the opportunity to take on the role of fourth center-back if Barça ultimately don't strengthen in that position.
Premier League interest and his response
The offer from England was financially very attractive. Premier League clubs have a greater financial margin and value Gerard Martín's versatility, as he can play both as a full-back and as a center-back. Even so, the player remains firm in his decision to stay at Camp Nou.
His priority is to establish himself at Barça and earn a place in the final squad. Rejecting a transfer abroad reinforces the idea that he trusts his chances of succeeding in a Barça jersey.