Hansi Flick wants to retain Barcelona defender amid Chelsea and AC Milan interest | OneFootball

According to MARCA, FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick does not wish to sell defender Gerard Martin this summer amid growing interest from AC Milan and Chelsea.

The Spanish ace established himself as a permanent fixture at centre-back for Barcelona last season despite being a left-back. His adaptability, versatility, and strong performances have led to interest from top clubs across Europe.

Some reports in Italy even suggest that AC Milan are prepared to offer €35 million for the 24-year-old centre-back.

While Barcelona are waiting to see whether either club submits a formal proposal, there is little surprise internally that the former Cornella defender has become a sought-after player.

Flick, however, remains determined to keep him at the club, seeing him as a ‘world-class’ talent.

Barcelona delighted with Martin’s progress

Martin’s campaign improved steadily as the season progressed, culminating in him becoming one of Flick’s most trusted players and one of the squad’s biggest success stories.

Flick trusts Gerard Martin. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

He made 51 appearances across all competitions, starting 38 of those matches.

Martin is under contract with Barcelona until 2028 and made significant progress throughout last season.

His performances were so impressive that there was even internal speculation at the club that Spain manager Luis de la Fuente could hand him a senior international call-up, although that ultimately did not happen.

Even so, Barça’s coaching staff, sporting department and club executives were all extremely pleased with his development.

As a result, they consider the reported interest from several of Europe’s leading clubs to be a natural consequence of his performances.

Barcelona do not intend to sell

Despite the growing interest, Barcelona are not planning to part ways with Martin.

Barcelona not considering Martin’s sale. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Within the club, the expectation remains that if any central defender leaves this summer, it would be Ronald Araujo rather than Martin.

Nevertheless, those at the club acknowledge that nothing can be ruled out completely while the transfer window remains open.

Flick has made his position clear and wants Martin to remain part of his squad, although the final outcome will depend on how the market develops and whether Barça could find a suitable replacement if circumstances change.

For now, Martin is part of the Barcelona squad currently in England for the club’s pre-season training camp. His intention is to stay at the club and establish himself as a regular starter under Flick for the upcoming season.