In a recent print edition, Sport claimed that Barcelona have identified Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez as a summer target. It is understood that the Catalans will have to make a bid of around €80m to convince the Milan giants to sell their prized asset during this summer transfer window (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Martinez’s Outstanding Numbers For Inter Milan Last Season
Martinez has enjoyed another excellent season at San Siro as he put in a series of impressive displays for Inter over the past ten months. The Argentine playmaker has played in 48 matches for the Italian outfit last season, scoring 19 goals and securing 11 assists in all competitions.
The 23-year-old has caught the eye by averaging 2.9 shots, 1.0 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the Serie A and UEFA Champions League. However, he needs to work on improving his ball distribution after completing only 67.7% of his attempted passes in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
Martinez is currently playing at a high level and managed to help his current employers win the league title last season. Hence, a player of his quality will be a welcome addition to Barca’s match-day squad ahead of the new season.
Should The Catalans Get Martinez On Board This Summer?
Martinez can use his quickness and agility to get in behind the opposition backline and can cause a lot of problems for them in the final third. He excels at generating a yard of space for himself to get a few shots in at goal. The Argentine sensation is an excellent finisher in the attacking end of the field and can also contribute by setting up some decent chances for his teammates up top.
The Serie A star has all the skillset required to be a success story at the Nou Camp, so Barca should consider getting him on board before the start of the new campaign. He will add a lot of quality to their frontline and could help the Catalans convince Lionel Messi to stay put beyond this summer. The Inter striker might be tempted with the opportunity to join his countryman in Spain so that they can compete for some major silverware in the coming seasons.
Martinez’s best years are ahead of him, so the Catalan club should think about selling off some of their fringe players to fund a move to bring the Argentine to La Liga during this summer transfer period. The former Racing Club talent will be well worth the trouble as he will have an excellent resale value in the future as long as he continues to improve with each season.
