Athletic in shock bid for Martinez

Athletic Club are readying a January bid for Real Sociedad star Inigo Martinez, Marca can reveal.

Los Leones are set to stay without Manchester City bound Aymeric Laporte and they plan to replace him with the La Real stopper.

Athletic are reportedly ready to trigger Martinez’s €32 million release clause, but it remains to be seen whether they can persuade the player to join.

Namely, the two clubs are bitter rivals and the 26-year-old may not be prepared to cross the divide.

Inigo Martinez has long been on the radar of Real Madrid and Barcelona, but he is still waiting for the big club move.