The agent of departing Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez says he deserved better from the top brass.

Martinez is leaving Athletic for Barcelona in a Bosman transfer.

Agent and uncle Carmelo Sanchez told Mundo Deportivo: "I received the offer from Athletic in April 2022, then the club has not addressed me with any paper.

"If he wanted to talk to Iñigo, (president Jon) Uriarte had it very easy. It was enough for him to go down the stairs two floors because they are neighbors.

"The board wanted to clean up his image because the idea was already on the street that he did not do enough to renew Iñigo" and that "Iñigo cannot be blamed for defending his interests, we wanted to stay at Athletic and that's why we negotiated with Elizegi."