Inter are in a much stronger position to reject any offer from Barcelona after selling Mauro Icardi to Paris Saint-Germain, report Diario Sport.
The Serie A club completed the permanent sale of Icardi to the Ligue 1 champions for a €50m fee following a season-long loan deal, easing any financial pressure on the club to sell star assets.
The Catalan giants cannot afford to pay the €111m release clause of Martinez and the Milanese club are said to be unwilling to negotiate this down.
The only possibility is that Barcelona include several players plus cash in an exchange deal, but this is complicated by Inter’s demands, the fact that Barca’s playing squad is already limited and the players themselves having to agree to any terms.
It is said by the report that Barcelona cannot afford to pay in excess of €65m for the striker alongside the exchange of players, with wing-back Junior Firpo thought to be one of the player proposed.
It is believed that the striker is the number one transfer priority for Barcelona this summer, with the club viewing he 22-year-old as the long-term successor to the ageing Luis Suarez.
The Argentine international has netted 16 goals 31 appearances for the Milanese giants this campaign and has particularly impressed in European competition, scoring five in six outings in the Champions League.
Martinez’s current deal runs to June 2023 and was signed in July 2018, when Inter paid Racing Club a reported €22.7m for his services and he has swiftly established himself as a star in Italy.
