Barcelona's ambitions to sign three key players from Real Sociedad this summer have been publicly dismissed by the Basque club's captain, Aritz Elustondo. In an interview with Cadena SER, cited by Sport, Elustondo stated that goalkeeper Alex Remiro, defender Jon Martin, and forward Mikel Oyarzabal are effectively untouchable, dealing a significant blow to Barcelona's reported transfer plans.
The Catalan club had identified the trio as primary targets, viewing Remiro as a potential long-term successor to Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Martin as a defensive reinforcement, and Oyarzabal as an option for their forward line. However, Elustondo's comments, which are believed to reflect the stance of Real Sociedad's board, suggest negotiations will be exceptionally difficult. "Remiro will end up renewing and will retire at Real Sociedad, Jon Martin will be a legend of Real and with Oyarzabal, there is nothing they can do," the captain said.
Elustondo's declaration reinforces previous reports that Real Sociedad would only consider selling any of the players if their release clauses were met. Barcelona, even with an anticipated return to more flexible financial rules, are not in a position to regularly activate such clauses, which are typically set at prohibitively high levels for key assets. This financial reality makes any move for the trio highly improbable.
The context of the players' situations adds weight to Elustondo's words. Alex Remiro has been one of La Liga's most consistent goalkeepers and is a cornerstone of the team. Jon Martin, a product of the club's academy, has developed into a commanding central defender and a fan favourite. Captain Mikel Oyarzabal, a one-club man and Spanish international, remains the team's talismanic figure and leading scorer.
For Barcelona, this public rebuff forces a swift reassessment of their summer strategy. It highlights the challenges they face in recruiting established stars from domestic rivals, especially those with strong contractual positions and emotional ties to their current club. The news will likely push Barcelona's sporting department to accelerate work on alternative targets across all three positions.
While the door may not be completely closed—release clauses remain a theoretical possibility—the firm stance from San Sebastian makes a transfer for any of the three players highly unlikely. Barcelona's focus will now need to shift elsewhere as they look to rebuild a squad capable of challenging for major honours next season.
