Lautaro Martinez has been in remarkable form for Inter so far this season. He’s comfortably clear in the race for the Serie A Golden Boot, and even larger aspirations could be on the horizon.
In the opening 15 league matches, the Argentine forward found the net 14 times, which puts him well on track to break the Serie A scoring record over an individual season. Maintaining that level of form throughout the season will be a huge ask, but Martinez looks to have both the tools and stamina to make this possible.
Inter Create Chances in Abundance
Inter took 35 points from their opening 14 fixtures, which left them in first place in the Italian top flight.
They look well-positioned to recapture the Scudetto after a three-year wait. Unsurprisingly, the betting markets reflect this as many sportsbooks, including the likes of Sportingbet, have Inter pegged as title favorites with odds of -225. Keen bettors may be inclined to place their wagers because, as it stands, the Sportingbet sign-up offer includes free bets and deposit bonuses, which could be used in any Serie A or wider soccer market for the current campaign.
While Inter’s position at the top is impressive, and they have shown impressive grit to relentlessly find a way to win games, their most intriguing stat is goals scored. They have averaged over two goals per game with a total tally of 33.
This suggests they consistently create a huge amount of chances for the forwards, and therefore scoring opportunities are unlikely to dry up for Martinez as the season goes on.
Lautaro Martinez is reportedly on the verge of signing a new contract with Inter Milan. 🤝
The Argentinian striker has previously been linked with Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea… 🇦🇷 https://t.co/UpEZRofq10
— TEAMtalk (@TEAMtalk) December 6, 2023
Inter have top-level creative profiles like Henrikh Mkhitaryan who regularly feeds the World Cup winner from midfield. In attack, Martinez’s partner Marcus Thuram’s primary role is to hold the ball up and feed the Argentina dangerman.
The Nerazzurri are essentially set up to play to Martinez’s strengths. He’ll certainly record a respectable tally this season, but what would it take to break the record?
The Record Holders
Two players in Serie A history hold the joint record for the highest amount of goals scored in a season.
Gonzalo Higuain first set the record for Napoli in 2015/16 in the remarkable team that featured prime Marek Hamsik, Dries Mertens, and Lorenzo Insigne. He managed the feat in just 35 appearances, which means that he remains the record scorer per game over a Serie A season.
Ciro Immobile matched Higuain’s goalscoring record in 2019/20 for Lazio. He recorded his 36-goal haul throughout 37 appearances.
𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃: la Domenica mattina di @ciroimmobile 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/iTvffi3sjv
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA) April 11, 2022
Martinez has played in all of Inter’s league games so far this season and to match the greats of the past, he’ll surely need to remain injury-free and play in all 38 league games.
He’s currently averaging just shy of a goal per game – if he could maintain that to net 37 times in 38 appearances, then he’ll become the new record goalscorer in the Italian top flight.
Martinez has been one of the hottest strikers in Europe in 2023, and he could well make himself one of Italian soccer’s greatest ever in 2024.