La Liga: Arnau Martinez, A Future Star And Golden Boy Candidate, Ready For His Second Season

One of the breakout stars of the 2022/23 La Liga season, Arnau Martínez will once again be in focus in the upcoming season as he leads Girona FC in their attempt to improve on their 10th-place finish in the previous season.

Without doubt the star for Girona FC, the youngster dominated the right flank to help the Catalan club finish 10th in their first year back in the top flight of Spanish football. Arnau’s reward for this stellar season has been included on the list of candidates for the 2023 Golden Boy award and a spot in the Spain squad for the European Under-21 Championship.

Although he only just turned 20 in April, Arnau has already made 97 appearances for Girona FC, the club where he has taken his first steps as a professional footballer. After debuting aged 17 in 2020/21, when Los Blanquivermells were competing at La Liga level, Arnau became a regular starter by the 2021/22 season, which ended with him scoring a decisive goal in the promotion playoffs final. After moving up to La Liga, the youngster demonstrated that he belongs at the top level.

Born just outside Barcelona in Premia de Dalt, Arnau spent time in FC Barcelona’s La Masia academy between the ages of seven and 13, even playing in the same team as Alejandro Balde, another of the best full-backs of 2022/23. He later moved to CE L'Hospitalet and then to Girona FC’s academy, playing as centre-back throughout his youth career, rather than at right-back, his current position.

As he explained in an interview with Diario AS: “I played centre-back all my life, except for when I played for my local club as a striker when I was a young kid. When I arrived at Barça, they put me in central defense. Then, when I arrived at Girona FC, I also started as a centre-back in a three-man defence, but when Míchel joined he moved me to full-back. Personally, I prefer the full-back position. You can get forward and play more in the other area, which is what everyone likes to do. Still, I have no issue playing at centre-back.”

Several of Europe’s biggest clubs have Arnau on their radar, while the voters of Tuttosport’s prestigious Golden Boy award have taken note of the right-back’s performances too, naming him on the shortlist for the 2023 edition of the award.

As he gets ready to represent Spain in the European Under-21 Championship this summer and looks to pick up where he left off last season when La Liga resumes in August, Arnau Martínez will have further opportunities to impress those voters.

Story Highlights: La Liga, Arnau Mart, Girona FC, Golden Boy, European Under, Los Blanquivermells, FC Barcelona, La Masia, Alejandro Balde, Diario AS