Barcelona could rekindle their interest in Inter Milan talisman Lautaro Martinez if their pursuit of Erling Haaland fails to bear fruit. As per Diario Sport, the Nerazzurri forward is Barca’s backup option for their chase of the Borussia Dortmund sensation.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Martinez was heavily linked with a move to Camp Nou, but the deal fell flat due to Barcelona’s lack of funds.
The 23-year-old forward stayed at the Giuseppe Meazza and has since gone from strength to strength, racking up 16 goals and nine assists across all competitions this season.
Martinez has benefited from his prolific attacking partnership with Romelu Lukaku, with the duo forming up a pillar upon which Antonio Conte’s success in Lombardy rests.
Meanwhile, Barca’s reliance on ageless Lionel Messi has grown on the back of Luis Suarez’s move to Atletico Madrid ahead of 2020-21.
They need to add quality to their offensive department after their decision not to replace the Uruguayan forward last summer came back to haunt them this season.
Barcelona have recently become known for splurging substantial figures on unsuitable recruitments as they look to improve that image in the upcoming transfer window.
Despite the emerging financial problems, the Catalan heavyweights are said to confident of their spending power heading into the summer.
Indeed, Martinez won’t come cheap by any stretch of the imagination, with Inter continuing to insist on the Argentine’s £94million release clause.
However, the Serie A giants could lower their demands for the former Racing man, particularly in light of the financial uncertainty surrounding the club.
A potential stumbling block could be Ronald Koeman’s stance on Martinez, as the Dutchman appears to be contemplating the forward’s profile.
On the other hand, cash-strapped Inter may have to offload some of their headline performers to solve their financial issues.