Real Madrid have reportedly held talks to secure the signing of Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez from newly-crowned Italian champions Inter Milan.
According to a report from COPE, La Liga champions Real Madrid are in talks with Inter Milan centre-forward Lautaro Martinez over the possibility of a transfer in the upcoming summer window.
Martinez has been with Inter Milan since 2018 having joined from Argentine outfit Racing Club and has swiftly grown into one of the most reliable goalscorers in Serie A. Till date, the 23-year-old has managed a return of 47 goals and 18 assists from 128 appearances, impressing with his all-round abilities at the top.
Martinez has played a key role as Inter Milan ended their 11-year wait for a Serie A title this term. The Argentine international has posted a tally of 17 goals and 9 assists from 44 games in all competitions in 2020/21, forming a deadly strike-partnership with Romelu Lukaku that has been one of the main reasons behind the Nerazzurri’s success.
? Informa @fabig08
? Lautaro Martínez está negociando con el @RealMadrid
? De momento, la negociación es entre el jugador y el club. El conjunto blanco aún no se ha puesto en contacto con el @Inter #PartidazoCOPE pic.twitter.com/cdksMkawEA
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) May 6, 2021
Martinez’s progress since he arrived in Italy has not gone unnoticed as Barcelona have been long-linked with a move for the 23-year-old. And, it now seems like the Catalans’ arch-rivals Real Madrid are also keen on securing the services of the centre-forward ahead of the summer transfer window.
Real Madrid, ever since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017, have been over-reliant on Karim Benzema to deliver the goods in the final third of the pitch. And while the Frenchman has certainly excelled in each of the last three seasons, he needs someone to share the goalscoring burden with, especially now that he is 33 and entering the final phase of his career.
Luka Jovic, who arrived in a big-money deal in 2019 has proven to be a dud and was loaned out to former club Eintracht Frankfurt last summer while Mariano Diaz has hardly gotten a chance in the starting XI with manager Zinedine Zidane not trusting him a great deal. As a result, it goes without saying that Los Blancos need a new striker come summer, one who can share the responsibility at the top with Benzema before eventually replacing him.
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This has seen Real Madrid get linked with a host of names, although Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland remain their primary targets. But with their finances in a poor state, the reigning La Liga champions might not afford either of the two superstars, leading to them looking for alternatives such as Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad.
Now, Martinez has also popped up on the radars of the Spanish capital outfit. In fact, the report goes on to add that Real Madrid have already initiated talks with the 23-year-old over the possibility of a move, although they are yet to make contact with his club, Inter Milan. Los Blancos have also been linked with the Argentine’s strike partner Lukaku ahead of the summer and it remains to be seen who they end up signing.
