Report: Athletic Bilbao has already agreed personal terms with Javi Martinez, still needs to negotiate fee with Bayern

Per a new report from Spanish outlet MARCA, Athletic Bilbao has already agreed personal terms for Javi Martinez to transfer from Bayern Munich, but a fee still needs to be negotiated. Manager Gaizka Garitano has made it clear that he wants Athletic to make a handful of signings before the transfer window closes to try and help them finish La Liga in a European qualification spot this season. Martinez is one of their top targets.

Martinez is currently on vacation with his family after Bayern secured another historic treble, but he’s made it clear that he will only return to La Liga if it’s to play for Athletic, the club where he played for five and a half seasons earlier in his career. Reports last week suggested Javi was close to a move to Real Soceidad, but those reports proved to be inaccurate. It was more likely that he would stay and run out his contract for the last year with Bayern if he doesn’t go back to Athletic in La Liga.

Per MARCA, Athletic already has an agreement in place for Martinez including personal terms. Right now, the only roadblock is the transfer fee. Bayern has asked for €12m for the midfielder, but Athletic is hopeful that they can try to negotiate a fee of a little less than €10m to get his signature. It’s even been suggested that Martinez would be willing to give up some of his wages with Bayern to help facilitate a transfer fee that both clubs would eventually agree upon.

Of course, both clubs have until October 5th to reach some sort of agreement, when the transfer window officially closes. Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has already said “We have made it clear that we will not object to his departure. We will try to find a fair solution.” Athletic would prefer to have him this summer, which could be in Bayern’s best interest since he could leave on a free transfer next summer if he winds up staying in Munich for another season.