Chelsea have reportedly been handed a big boost in their bid to sign Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, who wants a transfer to the Premier League.
Lautaro Martinez, who has been touted as one of Mauricio Pochettino’s first targets as Chelsea boss, is apparently keen on a move to the Premier League, according to Football Insider.
The former Tottenham manager is expected to be appointed as the third manager of the Todd Boehly era after verbally agreeing a three-year contract in west London. And he is already laying the groundwork for the forthcoming summer transfer window.
Martinez is a player who is consistently linked with a move to the Premier League. But a deal has never materialised for the World Cup winner. The attacker struggled to make an impression for Argentina at the World Cup. But he has been in stunning form for Inter Milan this season.
The 25-year-old striker has bagged 25 goals and ten assists in 52 outings across all competitions. The clutch goalscorer also netted the winner against AC Milan in the semi-final second leg earlier this week as Inter punched their ticket for the Champions League final in Istanbul.
It is well known that Inter Milan are struggling financially. And with Martinez under contract until 2026, he is one of their sellable assets, with the Serie A giants set to demand in the region of £70 million.
Chelsea’s long-running striker problem has been well documented. They have struggled for goals all season despite a major recruitment drive over the last two transfer windows, with Kai Havertz the club’s top scorer with just seven goals. Only one other player has more than three strikes, while only West Ham United and Wolves have a less prolific top scorer.
Martinez is seen as the most realistic striker signing for the Blues, with any move for Napoli’s high-priced ace Victor Osimhen likely to prove problematic, as Chelsea have already privately committed to signing Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig in a big-money deal.
One of the most in-form strikers in world football at the moment, Martinez’s tireless work rate aligns him perfectly with Pochettino’s style of play. The 25-year-old boasts all the attributes needed to thrive within a Pochettino team, which could make this move invaluable.
Martinez also has an excellent understanding with Romelu Lukaku, who could yet have a future at Stamford Bridge, and will speak to Pochettino about a potential role in the team. It will be interesting to see whether Chelsea can pull off this blockbuster move when the summer transfer window opens, despite not having any European football next season.
