Roger Martínez, a midfielder who plays for Barça Atlètic, has been sold to Al-Markhiya in the Qatar Stars League 2. Martínez, 22, was born in Badalona, Catalonia and spent time at FC Barcelona’s youth academy. He also was formed by Espanyol, who eventually gave him his La Liga debut.
He signed as a free agent for Barça last year and agreed a two year deal. Now, he leaves for Qatar in a transfer that sees Barcelona earn a percentage of a future sale.
Once hailed as “the new Gavi,” Martínez had been a starter for Barcelona’s B team last season until he suffered a severe injury to his meniscus, a tissue in the knee. That meant he had to get surgery and be out of action for a while.
Al-Markhiya are said to have made a good offer to him in terms of salary, and the player was convinced to join as a way to get his career back on track in a growing league. Barcelona were said to be pleased with his play up until the injury and reportedly appreciated his professionalism while recovering.
