Lautaro Martinez is not totally opposed to a move to the Premier League, according to reports, but Tottenham Hotspur could try to make sure it ends up with them rather than rivals Arsenal.
Martinez recently emerged as a somewhat ambitious target for Arsenal. Not long ago he was ranked in the nine-figure box and linked with players like Barcelona. Now Serie A champion Inter Milan is desperate to raise funds and may have to sell Martinez.
Inter have already said goodbye to midfielder Achraf Hakimi, who joined Paris Saint-Germain. He won’t be the last victim of their review as they seek to balance the books. In fact, Inter will be attentive to offers for Martínez.
They had been in talks about a new contract for him (it is still on the same terms he originally signed when he moved from South America, and his profile has risen enormously since) before his financial troubles forced them to back down.
Its renewed availability led to Arsenal ignite the persecution of the Argentine forward. Long-term admirers, they previously considered him out of reach until Inter’s desperation for a sale became apparent.
But their hopes of signing him were soon dashed when it emerged that Martínez would only leave Inter for one of the three great Spanish clubs: Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atlético.
However, Athletic insists that the situation is different. In fact, Martinez would be open to moving to the Premier League and would include Arsenal on his list of possible destinations.
Inter and Arsenal are already in talks about potential transfer of Héctor Bellerin to Serie A side to replace Hakimi. During those discussions, Martinez’s name may have come up as well.
The Gunners are looking for a new forward because they are likely to sell Alexandre Lacazette this summer. The Frenchman is in the last year of his contract and they would rather sell him than reward him with new terms that he may not justify.
Lacazette was their top scorer last season, but Arsenal only need to see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s form sag after his excellent contract last summer to realize that repeating that strategy can be risky.
Therefore, they are “aggressively” trying to find a new club for Lacazette. Arsenal have even tried to offer it to Inter, but that deal would not be good for the Italians; they need pure cash.
Once Lacazette is out of the way, they will have a space to fill up front. It is a decision that they will have to make well if they want to return to the European places before the end of the season.
Martinez scored 17 goals in 38 league games in Inter’s victory last season. It was his best record in a league campaign, so it would be an interesting option.
He followed it up by contributing to Argentina’s Copa America victory and may get a new move as a result. Arsenal are not out of the race yet.
Tottenham aims to hijack Lautaro Martínez transfer
But the north London club are not the only suitors for the soon-to-be 24-year-old. It is also claimed that Tottenham rivals could make a move for him.
The new managing director, Fabio Paratici, knows everything about Martínez since he worked in Serie A. Therefore, he could use his knowledge of that market to launch his own offering.
Such a move would depend on the future of Harry Kane. While new coach Nuno Espirito Santo can use a two-striker system, Tottenham probably couldn’t afford to stick with Kane and add Martinez.
But with rumors still circulating about the future of the England captain, Martinez could end up being his replacement.
Kane is considering his options as he reaches his prime, still without winning a major trophy. He knows he may have to leave Tottenham to do it, but the club won’t make it easy for him to leave if your destiny were a Premier League rival like Manchester City.
If he ends up leaving, the funds available to Tottenham for their own transfers should increase significantly. In that case, they could easily pay Martinez off if they could convince him to join as well.
READ MORE: Unique transfer battle takes shape as Tottenham take on prolific Serie B star
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