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Lautaro Martinez is currently one of the hottest prospects in Europe. There are only a few better poachers than him in Europe. Getting his signature is the desire of every other club, and FC Barcelona is one of them.
The fans and the club itself are behind Lautaro Martinez for quite some time. They see him as the successor of the club’s current #9 Luis Suarez. But like a few other analysts, we don’t see Martinez as the perfect fit for Blaugranas.
Player Overview
Like his idol, Radamel Falcao, Lautaro Martinez also has the potential to become one of the best modern strikers on the planet. The 22-year-old centre-forward sees himself as similar to Falcao in many aspects of the game. In an interview with Clarin, when asked about his idol, he immediately replied:
“I’ve always said that I admire Falcao since I was a kid, I identify with him the way he plays and his characteristics.”
Like a typical South American forward, Martinez is charismatic. His relentless pressing looms trouble for the opposition defenders. He manages nearly five pressure regains per 90 (times a player’s team wins the ball back within five seconds of the player pressuring an opponent), which is, by contrast, more than that of a certain Sergio Busquets.
At Inter Milan
Lautaro Martinez is an explosive player and a natural-born dribbler. In Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 formation, Martinez starts alongside Romelu Lukaku in the front two. He usually acts as the connector between the midfield and his Belgian striking partner. Martinez has developed an exceptional understanding with Lukaku, and they already form one of the best forward partnerships in Europe.
The Argentinian knows how to play with his back towards the goal. He regularly drops deep to collect the ball, always looks to link-up with his teammates, and tries to progress the play. His intelligent movement and positional awareness on the field is what sets him apart from other forwards. He is deadly in the opposition box, with sharp feet and aerial ability.
Lautaro Martinez is a constant threat because of his keen eye for goals, and he is always willing to test the opposition's goalkeeper.
In the Champions League this season, he averages 4.31 shots per game, with 2.07 shots on target. Furthermore, he is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to taking shots per game in Serie A.
Barcelona’s style of play and Lautaro Martinez: A mismatch?
Before a club decides to sign any player, there are certain aspects they should look for: the team’s requirement, the player's tactical soundness, and perhaps more importantly, does the player fit in the team’s system or not.
When we look at Lautaro Martinez, we see a false nine or a second striker. We don’t see a leading frontman in him unlike the many great strikers like Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and Luis Suarez who have led the Blaugrana's front line over the years.
Barcelona signed Antoine Griezmann last summer. Buying a player of almost similar characteristics just a year later would be absurd. Griezmann himself has been the victim of Barcelona's system since his move to the Camp Nou. Despite his sporadic good performances considering the circumstances, the Frenchman has mostly been underwhelming. The fans and media have observed that, and no wonder Greizmann has been in the criticism lately.
When Lautaro Martinez played for Racing Club in the Argentine top division, he used to play as a lone striker in a 4-3-3 system. But there was a reservation. A few midfielders used to make runs in the opposition box beyond Lautaro Martinez to create space for the striker.
However, that is unlikely to be the case in Barcelona. Lautaro Martinez does not work as a 'runner' at Inter, and Barcelona also does not possess runners in their midfield to compliment the Argentine's playing style. Arturo Vidal is a low-key exception in this regard.
Dropping deep and dragging the defender along with him has always been an integral part of Lautaro Martinez's style of play since his Racing days. It all indicates towards one fact: the Argentine is not an out-and-out striker who can lead the front line but can function as a capable secondary striker.
Conclusion
Lautaro Martinez is only 22 and can inevitably evolve his game in the next few years.
But Barcelona have to deal with their current issues. Spending €100+ million on a player like Lautaro Martinez who wouldn’t even fit in the club's system would be nothing more than making a mockery of themselves.
As Ruud Gullit once said:
Politics and football don’t mix.
If the club president Josep Bartomeu urges to sign Lautaro Martinez still, then it would be akin to one of his moves to save his seat for next year’s presidential election.
