Who is Arnau Martinez? The Girona starlet wanted by Real Madrid and Barcelona
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 22 Oct 2023 18:07 BST
- 4 min read
To attract interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona is a very good indicator of a young player’s talent and Girona wonderkid Arnau Martinez is the latest Spanish youngster to be linked with a move to the Clasico rivals.
The full-back only turned 20 in April 2023, but he has the world’s biggest clubs chasing him following his breakout onto the senior stage with Girona.
READ MORE: Who is Assan Ouedraogo? The Schalke wonderkid wanted by Liverpool and Chelsea
Martinez made his senior Girona debut back in 2020, aged just 17, and he became a regular in the side during their promotion campaign in 2021-22. He was also the club’s starting right-back in La Liga the following year, and his performances alerted significant transfer interest.
But, who is Arnau Martinez and how good is he?
READ MORE: Who is Michael Kayode? The Fiorentina & Italy Under-19 hero wanted by Arsenal
What position does Arnau Martinez play in?
Martinez is a right-back. He has occasionally played further forward down the right flank or at centre-back at senior level, but his best position is right-back. The Spaniard started his career as a centre-back, however.
How good is Arnau Martinez?
Martinez is seen as one of the most talented young defenders in world football. He has already racked up over 100 senior appearances for Girona despite only being 20 years old, and was arguably the biggest breakout star of the 2022-23 La Liga season.
The Girona star spent time in Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy as a youth player before leaving in 2016, and his performances at senior level have now attracted interest from the Blaugrana, who may look to bring him back to Camp Nou soon.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Martinez scored three goals and provided four assists in his debut La Liga season and his technical quality stood out as one of his key attributes.
He is a very active defender and has played a key role in Girona’s success since promotion to the top flight.
Martinez was also included in the final 25 nominees for the 2023 Golden Boy, which highlights his immense talent.
Which clubs are interested in signing Arnau Martinez?
There are a host of top clubs interested in signing Arnau Martinez. According to 90min, the following clubs have all sent scouts to watch him in action during the 2023-24 season: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli and Roma.
In addition, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are also interested in signing the youngster, as per the report.
When does Arnau Martinez’s contract expire?
Martinez’s current contract at Girona runs until June 30, 2025.
How old is Arnau Martinez?
Martinez was born on April 25, 2003. He is 20 years old at the time of writing.
What is Arnau Martinez’s Instagram?
Martinez’s Instagram account is under the name @arnaueti4. He has 28k followers as of October 2023.
