20 years old yesterday, Jon Martin could become a Barcelona player by the end of the summer.
Deco has met the agent of the 20-year-old Real Sociedad centre back Jon Martin to discuss his future. He appears to be a concrete alternative to Barcelona's first choice, Alessandro Bastoni.
The interest is direct, concrete, and documented, after one of the most solid individual performances this season in the Copa del Rey final.
Who is Jon Martin?
Six days ago, Jon Martin played 120 minutes against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final. It was a highly physical and tactical game, which Real Sociedad won on penalties after a 2-2 tie.
Throughout the entire night, Martin was a solid presence defensively, against an Atletico attack that had knocked Barcelona out of the competition. It was that performance which landed Martin on Deco's radar in a very significant way.
The numbers over the course of the season justify him completely. Throughout 20 starts and 1,800 minutes of La Liga play, Martin has developed a profile that puts him in the 90th+ percentiles for centre backs in Spain.
His 197 defensive contributions were good enough for the 88th percentile among La Liga centre backs, his duel rate on headers (66 won at 64.7% rate) is in the 94th percentile at the position, while his 120 clearances, 32 interceptions, 24 tackles, and 21 blocks all tell a similar story.
In 1,800 minutes, he was only dribbled past twice. Numbers of this kind for a 20-year-old playing every weekend in La Liga are rare and highly noteworthy.
His passing ability also elite. Should he transition to a Flick side which expects its defenders to play from the back, he averages a successful passing rate of 91.4%, indicative of consistently good performances, which is exactly what Barcelona needs
The transfer picture
Martin has a 50 million release clause, a price for his age, skill, and in today’s market, doesn't represent overpayment at all. He is being scouted by several major clubs, and Barcelona is by no means the only party involved in the race.
The Copa del Rey final in particular inflated his interest by a large margin. Having won the Copa del Rey guarantees Real Sociedad of European football next season, and that puts Real Sociedad in an advantageous position in transfer negotiation.
Barcelona’s reported plan is to cash in on Ronald Araujo to an English club this summer, and Jon Martin would slot directly into that space. Barcelona is willing to listen to offers for more important players as well.
With 20 years old, Spanish nationality, physical prowess in the air, composed on the ball, and already experienced in knockout matches against high-pressure opponents, he perfectly fits Hansi Flick’s blueprint: young, smart, and ready to learn and grow.
Bastoni still remains the first option. However, priorities change over a window, especially if finances and feasibility come into play.
Jon Martin is not just a backup; he is an alternative capable of becoming one of the best centre backs in Europe in five years. Barcelona is truly interested, now it remains to be seen if they will be fast enough.
Add us as a preferred source on Google