Manchester City to bid £25m for Athletic Bilbao's Martinez

[The_Ripper]

Manchester City believe they will capture the brilliant Spain defender Javi Martinez for around £25million.

As the champions cool on a cash shootout with Chelsea for playmaker Eden Hazard, City hope to steal ahead of Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid to sign Martinez.

City are expected to send scouts to watch Martinez play for Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Cup final, when he will face Barcelona in Pep Guardiola’s send-off game.

Martinez, who has seven caps, can also play as a holding midfielder but Sportsmail understands City want him to play alongside Vincent Kompany in their back four.

Martinez has a get-out clause in his Athletic Bilbao contract of €30million, around £24m. All four suitors are expected to match that price but City feel they can tempt him to England and will blow away United with their wages kitty.


Martinez, 23, was the Spain Under 21 captain when they were victorious in the European Championship last year. He also made one appearance for the senior team as they won the 2010 World Cup, where he was included in the squad to give him experience. He has played alongside City’s David Silva for his country, having made his debut in a 3-2 win against Saudi Arabia in 2010, aged 21.

He is seen as the long-term successor to Carles Puyol in the Spain team, playing alongside Gerard Pique. And City are aware that Barcelona want to recreate that central defensive pairing at club level.


Martinez has already transferred for a big fee in his young career, moving from Osasuna for around £4m as a 17-year-old. He has played more than 200 matches for Bilbao and has a scoring record of a goal every six games.

At 6ft 3in, City see Martinez as the ideal man to help shore up their defence, alongside impeccable captain Kompany, the star of their title success this season.


Martinez’s match against Barcelona on Friday will be his last for Athletic and then, like Hazard, the Estella-born player must decide between a host of clubs chasing his signature.

Chelsea are confident they will come out on top in the race for Belgium star Hazard — who is poised to face England a week on Saturday — but City don’t expect to be second best when it comes to Martinez.