Mauricio Pochettino could ask Chelsea to push for Lautaro Martinez, with the manager eager to solve a problem area.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea could push to sign Lautaro Martinez at the behest of incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino. The former Tottenham boss wants to solve a problem area at the front of the pitch and remains keen to tie up a move for the 24-goal Inter Milan hitman.
Lautaro Martinez has quietly had a good season with Inter Milan, with his 24 goals helping the club on multiple fronts. His presence has been immense in the Nerazzurri closing in on a Champions League final appearance while fighting for a top-four finish.
Beyond the current season, there are significant doubts about whether Martinez will remain at Inter Milan. A host of Premier League sides have shown interest in the 24-goal Manchester United target, with Erik ten Hag also considering an approach.
Manchester United are one of the few clubs that desperately need a leading striker for next season. Hence, they considered Martinez a key target, but Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen are their priorities. Signing the duo is a big challenge, while the 24-goal Inter Milan star would also prove considerably cheap.
That’s also the thinking of Manchester United’s rivals, Chelsea, who have kept tabs on Martinez. Like the Red Devils, the Blues consider Kane and Osimhen priority targets. However, Todd Boehly will likely keep a firm eye on the prices for players he intends to bring.
Martinez is easily the cheapest of the trio in terms of his price. Chelsea are closing in on appointing Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager and are considering moving for the 24-goal star to solve a problem area in their squad.
The Blues have struggled this season due to a lack of clear goalscorers, with Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz their top scorers with 9 goals each in all competitions. Romelu Lukaku remains on their books, and Chelsea had pondered a part-exchange deal involving the Belgian for Martinez.
However, Pochettino has reportedly told the club he wants a new No.9 on priority and would prefer Martinez to lead the line. They could part ways with Lukaku one way or another and hopes to bring a formidable player into the position as the Belgian’s replacement.
However, the road is tough for Chelsea to pursue the Argentine striker. For starters, they are not participating in next season’s Champions League, and secondly, they will have big competition for Martinez in the summer.
