Barcelona Officially Unveils New Defender's Jersey Number in Registration Breakthrough

Barcelona have completed another crucial step in their mission to register their entire squad before the transfer deadline, with Gerard Martín now officially cleared to make his first appearance of the season.

The crucial factor enabling Martín's registration was Barcelona's decision to terminate Oriol Romeu's contract on Thursday, which freed up additional salary cap space.

Additionally, Iñaki Peña's contract extension through 2029 to postpone wages for Financial Fair Play compliance, combined with his subsequent loan transfer to Elche, proved essential for securing Martín's registration.

Just hours after Peña was officially confirmed as an Elche player, Martín's registration appeared on La Liga's official platform among the most recent completed transfers eligible for competition.

However, given that Martín featured for Barcelona last season, why is he classified as an incoming transfer? The explanation is that Martín was technically registered with Barça Atlètic—Barcelona's reserve team—last year. Now at 23 years old, Martín exceeds the age limit for academy player registration, requiring him to be "transferred" and registered as a senior squad member.

Moreover, Martín had to abandon the No. 35 jersey he wore last season since La Liga mandates that first-team players wear numbers no higher than 25. Consequently, Martín will adopt No. 18, paying tribute to his inspiration and Barcelona icon Jordi Alba.

Martín operated exclusively as a left-back last season, emulating his hero. However, during preseason, Flick also utilized him as a central defender. This represents a significant development considering he would be Barcelona's sole left-footed center-back. Martín's adaptability could help him secure a more substantial role this campaign.

During the summer transfer window, many speculated that Martín might serve as a trading asset Barcelona could leverage to raise funds for other potential signings. However, after his impressive preseason performances, Flick blocked any potential exit and even made his registration a priority, considering him a valuable squad member for 2025–26.

With his registration now complete, he could potentially make his season debut against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, Aug. 31.

Having resolved Martín's registration, Barcelona will now concentrate on completing the same process for Wojciech Szczęsny and Roony Bardghji—with optimism that the former's registration is merely hours away rather than days.