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Jon Martín has emerged as one of Spain's most sought-after young defenders, and despite attracting serious interest from both Real Madrid and Barcelona, the center back says his attention remains firmly on Real Sociedad.
It has been a breakthrough campaign for the 20-year-old center back, who has cemented himself as a regular starter for Real Sociedad under Pellegrino Matarazzo and played a key role in the club's 2025–26 Copa del Rey triumph.
With his age and clear potential turning heads, Spain's two powerhouses have begun showing interest, but the young defender sat down for an extensive interview with AS and offered a candid take on the speculation linking him to Barcelona and Real Madrid.
"It's impossible not to hear about it [the transfer rumors] because everyone is talking about it," Martín acknowledged. "Whether you want to or not, you end up hearing about it — even my friends bring it up because they're constantly browsing online. It finds its way to you somehow, but I'm focused on doing my job for La Real."
"At the end of the day, a lot gets said, but I genuinely don't know anything and I'm not losing sleep over it. My intention is what I've already stated — to keep my focus on Real Sociedad."
When pressed on whether Sociedad supporters could feel at ease about his future, Martín's answer was straightforward: "Completely."
Real Sociedad Will Demand Hefty Price for Jon Martín
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid are anticipated to scout the market for a center back this summer. The Catalan club never found a true replacement for Íñigo Martínez and are searching for a long-term partner for Pau Cubarsí, while Real Madrid have been plagued by defensive injuries in recent seasons and face the prospect of both David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger departing when their contracts expire this summer.
However, Martín's wish to remain at Real Sociedad is one the club wholeheartedly echoes. Last October, Martín signed a contract extension keeping him at the Basque outfit until 2031 — his second renewal of 2025, following an earlier extension signed when he turned 18 in April.
A release clause of $70.3 million (€60 million) was written into Martín's deal, a substantial figure for a player who has yet to accumulate a full season's worth of La Liga appearances throughout his career.
Beyond the steep fee required to activate that release clause — at least for clubs within La Liga — Martín has a crystal-clear vision of where he sees his future heading.
"It's very clear to me," Martín said. "I want to be here [at Real Sociedad] for as long as I possibly can. I want to stay here, in my home, because this is the place that has given me everything."
"I'm very calm about it, and hopefully I can remain here for many years to come and lift many more trophies like the Copa del Rey."