Barcelona and Inter Milan are reportedly in contact over the possibility of a deal for 24-year-old Argentine international Lautaro Martinez.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Lautaro Martinez remains on Barcelona’s radar, with the Blaugrana in contact with Serie A champions Inter Milan over a possible deal for the Argentine international in the summer transfer window. But the Catalan giants have other priorities and only consider Martinez as a fallback option.
Lautaro Martinez joined Inter Milan from Racing Club in July 2018 and initially made gradual progress at San Siro due to Mauro Icardi’s presence in the squad. But he has come leaps and bounds since his compatriot’s departure a few years ago, becoming a pivotal figure for the Nerazzurri.
The 24-year-old played a key role in Inter’s Serie A triumph last season and has remained at a high level in the top flight this term. Martinez has amassed 15 goals and three assists in 29 appearances in Serie A. But the Argentine international faces an uncertain future at San Siro, with Inter ready to cash in on him in the summer transfer window. Such a situation has captured the attention of Barcelona.
The interest from Barcelona is long-standing, with the Blaugrana coming close to signing him two years ago before the COVID-19 outbreak played spoilsport. The Catalan giants have revived their interest in Martinez ahead of the summer transfer window when they will invest in a striker amid uncertainties surrounding the futures of Martin Braithwaite and Luuk de Jong.
If both centre-forwards leave Barcelona in the summer, Xavi Hernandez will have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the only natural striker at his disposal. Lautaro Martinez is thus a viable target for Barcelona, although the La Liga heavyweights are prioritising signing either Erling Haaland or Robert Lewandowski.
But with Haaland too expensive and Bayern Munich holding firmly onto Lewandowski, Barcelona might have to set sights on Martinez for good. And Inter Milan could look to include Martinez in the deal to sign Memphis Depay and Miralem Pjanic, with the duo recently emerging on the Serie A champions’ radar.
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It will be interesting to see if Martinez becomes an important target for Barcelona for the summer transfer window. For now, the 24-year-old Argentine international remains a fallback option for the Blaugrana amid uncertainties surrounding his future at Inter Milan.
