After Álvarez, another Argentine. Lautaro is said to be the priority. Inter say he is not for sale
Spanish sources say Lautaro Martínez is now Barcelona’s first target in attack. Italian sources say no offer has arrived and Inter’s captain is not for sale.
According to Gerard Romero and Cadena SER, after Atlético Madrid shut the door on Julián Álvarez, Deco met Lautaro’s agent, Alejandro Camaño, in Madrid. Romero says the player’s camp has “opened the door” and that the 28-year-old is now the number-one target for Hansi Flick and the sporting director. The transfer itself would be very difficult. Romero still claims Barcelona will chase it until the window closes.
That is not an offer. It is not an agreement. It is not even a confirmed negotiation with Inter.
Sky Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio put it more bluntly on Wednesday evening: Inter have received no proposal from Barcelona or from the player’s agents. The captain is considered unsellable. Matteo Moretto described Barcelona’s move as an initial enquiry that never became official talks.
The €100 million figure that surfaced in Argentine and Italian coverage is not a submitted bid either. TNT Sport Argentina only said that, after the Álvarez deal collapsed, Barcelona might consider that kind of fee. It remains speculation, not an offer.
For now the picture is this: Barcelona are looking for a striker, and Inter have no intention of selling their captain.
Lautaro is contracted until June 2029, with no release clause. The previous, time-limited clause was worth €120 million and came out when he signed the extension. Sky has him on 175 goals in 376 games since joining Milan in 2018. El Nacional has 22 goals in 41 matches last season. He is Inter’s captain, a multiple Serie A winner, and a forward who has taken the club to Champions League finals.
Lewandowski left when his contract expired. Ferran Torres was sold to PSG. After the Gamper, Deco said Gordon and Adeyemi can take on Ferran’s role. He did not pretend anyone had filled the gap left by Lewandowski. “We will surely make a move,” he told TV3. Flick said they are looking for that player and trusts Deco “with his eyes closed.”
The only recognised centre-forward in the squad, for now, is 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim.
The pattern is familiar. First Álvarez, whom Atlético will not sell. Now Lautaro, whom Inter treat as the core of the team. Same passport, same position, same club that does not want to sell. There are a couple of weeks left in the transfer window. Barcelona can still make an offer. They have not made one yet.
