The Telegraph (subscription required) has recently mentioned that Barcelona are ready to step up their efforts for Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez in this off-season. It is understood that the Catalan outfit is looking for a replacement for Lionel Messi and has identified his international teammate, Martinez as a perfect candidate to succeed at the Nou Camp (via The Telegraph).
Martinez’s Incredible Numbers At San Siro Last Season
The Inter star relished another outstanding season in Italian football by putting in a series of match-winning performances while leading the charge with Romelu Lukaku up top. The 17-time Argentine international banged in 21 goals and provided seven assists in 49 appearances for the Italian giants last season in multiple competitions.
Martinez was an unstoppable force at times in Antonio Conte’s attack based on his average of 3.5 shots, 0.9 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per match in the Serie A and European football in the previous campaign. However, the 23-year-old was woeful when distributing the ball in the opposition half as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 63% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The former Racing Club talent looks destined to have a glorious future in European football as he ticks all the right boxes in terms of what is expected of a world-class forward. A summer switch to the Nou Camp will be an appealing move for the Argentine sensation. However, the uncertainty surrounding the futures of quite a few Barca first-team players this summer has cast a gloom of uncertainty at Catalonia, which could be a turn-off for someone like Martinez.
What Will The Argentine International Add To Ronald Koeman’s Team?
Martinez’s electric pace is his best attribute as it makes him such a potent threat up top. He can generate a yard of space for himself with ease and is renowned for completing some penetrative dribbles in the attacking third. The South American whizkid boasts remarkable strength that enables him to outmuscle the opposition in the air to score a few goals with his head or set-up some chances for his teammates to score inside the opponent’s penalty box.
Will Recruiting Martinez Be A Wise Decision By The Catalans This Summer?
Martinez is a great header of the ball and has established himself as a consistent goal-scorer in Italian football. He will be a welcome addition to the Barca squad and would go a long way in helping the Catalans cope with the potential departures of Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi in this off-season.
However, the Catalan giants will have to come up with an attractive package to convince Inter as well as Martinez to go through the transfer. He could potentially form a decent attacking partnership with Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati at Catalonia next season which makes it a wise decision for Barca to step up their attempts to land the Argentine this summer.
