Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta has opened the door to striker Lautaro Martinez possibly leaving the club: “If he wants to leave we will evaluate it.”
It follows on from a report in Diario Sport that had claimed that the Argentine was the ideal long-term replacement for Luis Suarez and the Blaugrana would seek to a deal.
Last month, El Mundo Deportivo stated that the Italian club do not fear the striker being tempted to the Catalan giants.
“If Lautaro wants to leave we will evaluate the situation,” Marotta told Sports Mediaset.
“We are Inter and we don't necessarily have to sell to anyone. We want to grow up with important young players like Lautaro and Romelu Lukaku. If Lautaro wants to continue with us, we will be happy. He is with us right now.”
Reports from October in El Mundo Deportivo and Clarin outlined how the striker – who has scored 13 goals in 21 appearances this season – is also a target for Manchester United, following on from a similar report in the Manchester Evening News.
A report in Calciomercato claimed that the Milan-based striker has been identified by Barcelona as being the long-term replacement for the ageing Suarez, while Diario AS said he was being scouted extensively.
“Talk of Barcelona’s interest is true,” the player’s agent Alberto Yaque told Ole back in July.
“No-one’s called us, but we know that they’ve been looking at him strongly. It’s true that Barcelona like him.”
It has been previously claimed that Martinez’s market value is now in excess of €100m and he scored within two minutes at Camp Nou in their recent Champions League encounter.
His current deal runs to June 2023 and was signed in July 2018, when Inter paid Racing Club €24m for his services.
