Iñigo Martínez, a seasoned Spanish centre-back, has carved out a notable career with stints at Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, and now Barcelona. Since joining the Catalan giants in 2023 on a free transfer, Martínez has become a reliable figure in their defense, particularly under coach Hansi Flick in the 2024-25 season. However, his earnings and contract situation have drawn attention due to Barcelona’s ongoing financial struggles and La Liga’s strict salary cap regulations. This article delves into Martínez’s salary at Barcelona, compares it to the club’s top earners, and contextualizes his wages within the broader landscape of La Liga’s highest-paid players.
Iñigo Martínez salary at Barcelona
Martínez earns an estimated gross annual base salary of €9,060,000 at Barcelona for the 2024-25 season, translating to approximately €174,231 per week, excluding bonuses. His contract, initially set to expire in June 2025, was extended for one year until June 2026, with the same salary of around €4 million net per year. This extension was only possible after Barcelona sold striker Vitor Roque to Palmeiras for €25 million, freeing up salary cap space to register Martínez.
His registration has been a recurring issue, as Barcelona’s financial constraints led to delays in 2023 and required creative use of La Liga’s injury replacement rules in 2024. Despite these challenges, Martínez’s salary reflects his experience and importance to the squad, though it places him among the mid-tier earners at the club.
Highest earners at Barcelona
Barcelona’s wage bill for the 2024-25 season is estimated at €201,120,000, or €3,867,692 per week, not including bonuses. Leading the pack is Robert Lewandowski, the club’s prolific centre-forward, who commands a gross annual base salary of €33,330,000, or €640,962 per week. His wages have risen incrementally since joining in 2022, reflecting his consistent goal-scoring prowess. Frenkie de Jong follows as the highest-paid player in La Liga, earning a staggering €37,500,000 annually, including deferred payments from salary cuts taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This equates to roughly €721,154 per week, though bonuses can push his earnings even higher. Other notable earners include Ansu Fati, whose €268,269 weekly salary is considered high relative to his limited playing time, and Jules Koundé, who earns €250,000 per week as a key defender. Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres both hover around €200,000 per week, while Ronald Araujo’s new contract nets him €192,308 weekly. Martínez’s €180,385 per week places him just below Araujo and above Andreas Christensen (€173,077 per week), highlighting his solid but not top-tier status among Barcelona’s wage earners.
Highest earners in La Liga
Across La Liga, the highest earners are dominated by players from Barcelona and Real Madrid, despite the league’s salary cap constraints. Frenkie de Jong tops the list with his €37,500,000 annual salary, followed closely by Robert Lewandowski at €33,330,000. Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, a marquee signing in 2024, earns €31,200,000 per year, placing him third behind Barcelona’s duo. Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Jr. each earn around €20,831,000 annually (€400,577 per week), with performance bonuses potentially increasing their totals.
Atlético Madrid’s Jan Oblak, one of the few players outside the top two clubs in the top 10, earns significantly less, with his salary dwarfed by his manager Diego Simeone, who reportedly commands over €34,800,000 per year. Iñigo Martínez’s €9,060,000 salary is competitive but falls well short of these elite earners, aligning more closely with players like Athletic Club’s Iñaki Williams, who earns around €11,388,000 per year. La Liga’s financial regulations continue to shape wage structures, forcing clubs like Barcelona to balance high salaries with player sales and creative accounting to stay compliant.