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Barcelona target Inigo Martinez returns to Real Sociedad training

Inigo Martinez has returned to Real Sociedad to train amid widespread speculation that he will join Barcelona this week.

The defender, who has been sidelined with a muscle injury for the past month, took part in Monday afternoon's practice session at the team's training ground in Zubieta.

He questioned why the club's digital media did not mention his return on Twitter, with Real Sociedad instead posting a photograph of other players training with the caption "images of the first training session of the week."

Martinez replied: "I think I trained."

Marca reports that Martinez's move to Barca is to be completed later this week and that the 26-year-old Spain international could even be available to play in Sunday's Spanish Super Cup first leg against Real Madrid.

The Basque outfit doesn't want to sell Martinez, who has made 222 appearances for the club since making his first-team debut in August 2011, but that Barca will pay Martinez's €32 million release clause to complete his transfer.

Martinez, under contract until June 2021, is reportedly eager to join Barca.

Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay recently said he would rather keep Martinez than have €32m in the bank.

Martinez made 34 league starts to help La Real finish sixth in La Liga in the 2016-17 campaign.

Money is not an issue for Barca, who have over €222m available to spend following Neymar's world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.