Barcelona's €111m Lautaro Martinez operation falters as Inter prepare contract extension
According to a report published by Spanish magazine Sport, Barcelona has faltered in its year-long pursuit of Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and will find it very difficult to convince Inter Milan to part with the Argentine striker.
Barcelona has had problems in the final third in the recent past and is currently in the market for a young striker. Lautaro Martinez has been a consistent and electric player for Inter Milan over the past two years and Barcelona believes that the forward can solve the club's goalscoring woes.
Barcelona certainly does know how to create a transfer saga. The Catalan club has been relentlessly pursuing Inter Milan's star man for the past several months and has had to overcome hurdle after hurdle in its quest to bring Lautaro Martinez to Barcelona.
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Barcelona may not be able to afford Lautaro Martinez
Barcelona's administration seems to be in a significant spot of bother. The club's board has infamously exhausted Barcelona's expansive resources on unnecessary signings in the past few years and is now bearing the brunt of its own shoddy management.
The coronavirus pandemic has adversely affected many big European clubs and Barcelona has not escaped unscathed. Josep Maria Bartomeu is balancing Barcelona's financial resources on a knife's edge and Inter Milan seems intent on taking advantage of the precarious situation at Barcelona.
The Nerazzurri have refused to lower the asking price for Lautaro Martinez and continue to insist on a cash transfer. Barcelona has offered several high-profile players including Samuel Umtiti, Nelson Semedo, and Ivan Rakitic.
Barcelona also reportedly offered a fresh offer to Inter Milan last week and included Junior Firpo in a cash-plus-player deal. The Italian club immediately rejected the offer and continues to insist on a cash transfer.
Inter Milan has caught wind of the storm brewing in Barcelona's coffers and is reportedly preparing to offer Lautaro Martinez an audacious contract extension that would see the Argentine striker remain firmly out of Barcelona's grasp.
Lautaro Martinez currently has a release clause worth €111 million that is less than three weeks away from expiry. Barcelona has not been able to afford the clause and has been desperately trying to convince Inter Milan to part with the star striker.
Barcelona needs to rejuvenate its squad and faces a daunting period of transition in the coming months. While the club's defensive problems this season have been well-documented, Barcelona is also struggling to create chances in the final third and tends to depend a little too heavily on Lionel Messi.
Barcelona was held to a shocking 0-0 draw by an excellent Sevilla outfit yesterday. The stalemate has offered Real Madrid the initiative and the advantage in the La Liga title race and may hurt Barcelona in the long run.
Luis Suarez had a miserable outing against Sevilla and cut a lonely figure in the final third. Age seems to have taken its toll on Barcelona's premier striker and it is only a matter of time before a replacement for the Uruguayan becomes a necessity.
Lautaro Martinez has age on his side and his abilities ensure that he fits the bill perfectly. The onus now lies on Barcelona's incompetent board to solve the club's problems in the transfer market.
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