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What's the story?
Italian publication Corriere Dello Sport claims that La Liga champion's FC Barcelona have lined-up Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez as their next big signing. The article suggests that the Catalan giant is willing to pay his €112 million release-clause in order to land their man.
In case you didn't know...
Touted as the next sensation to come from Argentina, big things were expected of Lautaro Javier Martinez when he arrived at the San Siro just one year ago. However, despite some occasional moments of brilliance, the twenty-one-year-old was never quite able to replicate the form he showed in the Argentine Primera Division and ended his first season with a modest six goals in twenty-seven first-team outings in the league.
Despite his poor return on goals, it's worth mentioning that the skillful striker only started thirteen of those games and seems to have done enough to impress the Barcelona scouting team into making a move for the former Racing Club star.
The heart of the matter
The report indicates that the link-up play between Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez for Argentina at this summer's Copa America has impressed the Barcelona scouts and coaching staff... so much so that they have been persuaded into making an offer worth a potential €112 million in order to unite the countrymen at the Camp Nou.
Martinez's agent, Beto Yaque has also weighed in and had this to say in a recent interview:
" Lautaro is having an excellent Copa America, thankfully. I have heard the rumors about Barcelona, but the truth is that nobody has I talked to us. I only heard the rumors. How would Inter respond to a Barcelona bid? I have no idea how Inter would behave, you have to ask them. Is he happy in Milan? I can't talk for him, but at the moment no one called us to talk about the renewal of his contract."
What's next?
Barcelona will certainly be looking to strengthen their ranks following another poor exit in the Champions League this season. Plus, with Real Madrid spending big to bolster their squad back into La Liga contention, it's only natural that the Blaugrana should be looking to do the same, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time they have signed an exciting young Argentinian talent. Only time will tell...
Martinez himself will line-up for Argentina on Wednesday evening, as his side face off against Brazil in the Copa America semi-finals.
