Third time lucky as Athletic plan to bring in Inigo Martinez LaLiga - Real Sociedad They were knocked back by Illarramendi and Oyarzabal

Athletic want to have Inigo Martinez available as quickly as possible as they prepare to pay the 32 million euros for his buy-out clause.

They have told Real Sociedad of their wish to bring in the centre-half and they don't want him to train on Tuesday as they make the payment to the Spanish Football League offices.

For Athletic the plan is for him to be ready to work with his new teammates on Wednesday and be ready to play the next LaLiga match against Girona on Sunday.

It will be the third time that president Josu Urrutia has attempted to bring in a Sociedad player having previously been knocked back in bids for Illarramendi and Oyarzabal.

Illarramendi turned down the opportunity to go to San Mames when he was at Real Madrid in January 2015 with an offer of 20 to 25 million euros on the table, and then he returned to Sociedad for less money.

In the summer of 2016, Athletic were ready to pay Mikel Oyarzabal's buy-out clause but the player again was not interested.

Now the departure of Aymeric Laporte for 65 million euros to Manchester City has given Athletic the money to move for Martinez, who will join the list of players that have moved from San Sebastian to the Basque capital including the current sports director Lorenzo Juarros.