“I would tell him I was staying” – 24-year-old forward recollects how Lionel Messi tried to convince him to join Barcelona
Lionel Messi attracted many stars to Barcelona during his spell with the Blaugrana. While the attacker succeeded in influencing a few players to join the club, there were many whom he failed to lure to Camp Nou. That includes his Argentina teammate Lautaro Martinez.
The Inter Milan striker has revealed the role Messi played in trying to convince him to join Barcelona. He explained that Messi would call and check if he would arrive at Camp Nou.
Lautaro Martinez admits Leo Messi wanted him to join Barcelona, but he’s happy to have stayed at Inter. football-italia.net/lautaro-martin… #Inter #FCIM #Barcelona #SerieA #Calcio #Transfers
"He would ask me about my situation at Inter, but I would tell him I was staying," Martinez said.
Martinez was heavily linked with a transfer to Barcelona between 2019 and 2020. The Blaugrana tried to use Messi as bait to sign the striker, but Inter refused to let go of the 24-year-old, and Martinez stayed put in Milan.
The striker eventually put Barcelona rumours to bed when he signed a new contract with the Nerazzurri during the summer. He agreed a five-year deal with the Serie A giants. That will keep him at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Look at Lionel Messi play here for Lautaro Martínez goal for Argentina vs Uruguay. Goal and assists stats won't show you this performance. You have to see Messi playing to see his impact fully. It's not just the goals and assists. https://t.co/WhSnd1zFSm
Messi, meanwhile, has parted ways with Barcelona after spending 21 successful years at the club. The Argentine left the Blaugrana during the summer transfer window to join Paris Saint-Germain. There he signed a lucrative two-year contract with the option of extending it further by a year.
How Lionel Messi and Barcelona have fared so far this season
It goes without saying that neither Barcelona nor Lionel Messi have been at the same level since they parted ways in the summer. But the two parties have managed to register some improvements in recent weeks.
Despite his slow start to the campaign, Messi has managed to bag four goals and three assists for PSG in 12 appearances across competitions so far. He has had a brighter spell in the Champions League, with three of his four goals coming in the tournament.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last six games across competitions, recording three wins and as many draws. The Blaugrana, though, have a mountain to climb to qualify for the Champions League knockouts, with a vital clash with group winners Bayern Munich next week.