Barcelona left back Gerard Martín has reiterated his desire to remain with the club amid reports of interest from the Premier League.
The 23-year-old was called up from Barça Atlètic last summer to provide cover for Alejandro Balde, and he ended up making 42 appearances across all competitions under Hansi Flick, including 19 starts.
There have, however, been plenty of transfer rumors which concern Martín. While Barcelona have been tipped to reinforce in his position, Martín himself has been the subject of speculation involving a move to Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
If Wolves, or any other suitor, wants to sign Martín this summer, it appears as though they will have a tough job of convincing the left back to leave Catalonia.
“I don’t know if those things are true,” he told Mundo Deportivo of the rumors. “If they were, they would have told me.
“I’m very happy here, at Barça, and I don’t want to leave. If the coach and the management have faith in me, I can’t ask for more.”
Even if Barcelona do sign a new left back—Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo was specifically mentioned during the interview—Martín is in favor of staying to fight for his future in the team.
“No, I’m calm,” he responded. “These things happen a lot in all positions, and competition is good for everyone to keep improving.”
Barcelona need to sell players this summer in order to return to La Liga’s 1:1 spending rules but are currently believed to favor other departures. Goalkeepers Marc-André ter Stegen and Iñaki Peña are up for sale, while forward Pau Víctor and center back Andreas Christensen have both been tipped to leave.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘I Don’t Want to Leave’—Barcelona Fringe Player Rules Out Summer Exit.