Barcelona Club announced today, Sunday, the official signing of the Catalan defender Martina Fernández, 21 years old, coming from the English Everton, in a deal that represents the player's return to her homeland after an absence of a year and a half.
The Catalan club confirmed, in an official statement, the activation of the buyback clause that it retained when the player moved to England, for an amount of approximately 150 thousand euros, as Fernández signed a contract that extends until the summer of 2029.
The official signing ceremony is scheduled to be held in the coming days at the office of club president Joan Laporta, in the presence of Javier Puig, head of the women's football department.
A rich history with the Blaugrana
Fernández is a familiar face in the corridors of the "Camp Nou", as she officially participated for the first time with the first team in the 2021/2022 season when she was only 17 years old, under the leadership of coach Jonatan Giráldez.
During her first period, she played 22 matches, including 15 in the Spanish league, starting as a starter in 12 of them.
However, the 2024/2025 season witnessed her suffering a meniscus injury that kept her away from the fields for several months, before she recovered and moved to Everton, where she joined initially on loan, then the English club contracted with her permanently while Barcelona retained the right to control her future.
Strengthening the defense line
Fernández's return comes at a crucial time, as Barcelona seeks to strengthen its central defense line after the departure of Mapi León and the continued recovery of Laia Aleixandri, making the young defender a reliable alternative for the defense line of Pere Romeu.
In Everton, Fernández established herself as an indispensable basic player, as she participated in 25 matches in the English Women's Premier League, to return now with broader experience and greater maturity, and a real opportunity to secure a fixed seat in the coach's lineup.
The signing of Fernández represents Barcelona's third deal in the current summer transfer market, after contracting with Renée van Laarhoven, and Tyler McCamey, within the framework of the club's plan to support the ranks of its women's team.
