Having been included in Spain’s 23-man-squad for the World Cup, Athletic Bilbao man Javi Martinez is likely to be one of this summer’s most wanted men. Still only 21, Martinez recently picked up the prestigious Don Balón ‘Breakthrough Player of the Year’ award for 2009/10 in light of his excellent displays for Los Leones. With previous winners of said award including the likes of Xavi, Gerard Piqué and Iker Casillas, it seems as though Martinez has a very bright future ahead of him.
Signed as a 17-year-old from Osasuna for €6 million in 2006, Martinez’s powerful performances in the heart of Athletic’s midfield have drawn comparisons with Patrick Vieira and Steven Gerrard. The tall midfielder’s energetic box-to-box displays played a key part in his side’s run to the 2009 Copa del Rey final, and Martinez seamlessly adapted to Europa League football during 2009/10.
A first-team regular at San Mames for each of the last four seasons, Martinez first came to the attention of the English press in the summer of 2009, when the 21-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool as a replacement for fellow Basque midfielder Xabi Alonso. Whilst this move failed to materialise, Martinez stepped up a gear at Athletic during 2009/10, ending the season with career-best tally of seven goals in all competitions.
This time round it seems as though cash-strapped Liverpool are likely to face stiff competition for the Spaniard’s signature. Unsurprisingly, Manchester City have been linked with the player, who is rumoured to have drawn recent interest from Spanish titans Barcelona and Real Madrid, who wish to partner Martinez with Xabi Alonso in the centre of the Bernabeu midfield.
Despite such conjecture, Martinez has confirmed that he is focused solely on the World Cup, informing Spanish newspaper Marca that “Nobody has told me anything, not my agent or anyone else. I try to avoid this kind of talk as much as possible as it would be wrong of me to divert my attention from the games we have coming up. I do not know if the stories are true, as you can never tell if what comes out in the media are truths or not-so-truths.” Martinez has also pledged his immediate future to the Basque club, adding that he is ‘very comfortable’ in Bilbao because ‘there is a good project for young people here’.
Whilst this vocal assertion of commitment is commendable, it remains to be seen whether or not Martinez would be able to turn down a move away from Bilbao should one of European football’s leading lights come knocking. His €30m buy-out clause is unlikely to deter the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City, with both sides eager to secure the signing of a player destined to become one of Europe’s finest midfielders.
The following video highlights Martinez’s talents:
[youtube lS1HBZmarBE]
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