Arsenal have reportedly revived their interest in Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez. The Argentinian forward was linked with a move to both the Emirates Stadium and Tottenham last summer, but he eventually stayed with the Serie A side.
In the end, Mikel Arteta didn’t sign anyone for the striker role, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang eventually moving on to Barcelona and duo Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah set to leave as free agents at the end of the season. It would leave academy graduate Folarin Balogun as the only natural centre-forward option.
Discussing his plans to sign a goal scorer in the summer, the Spaniard said: "Now is the moment we have to raise the quality. We need one who puts the ball in the net, that’s priority number one. Any successful team needs enough goal threat in the squad."
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A number of names have since been linked with a move, from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Darwin Nunez to Tammy Abraham and Gabriel Jesus most recently. However, as reported by The Times, the Gunners have revived their interest in Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez.
They were said to be in a battle with Spurs to sign him last summer, but didn’t have enough to match the asking price set by the Nerazzurri. The Lilywhites could and did, but the Serie A champions were said to have cancelled a deal as Romelu Lukaku left the club for Chelsea in the same window.
The 24-year-old signed a new deal shortly after, extending his stay until 2026, going on to score 17 goals in 32 appearances in the league so far. Despite his form, the report claims that Inter are willing to let him leave this summer for between £60million and £70million.
Landing the Argentina international could be a huge statement of intent from Mikel Arteta going into next season, though their final position this season could impact the potential signing. They are yet to secure Champions League qualification, though if they do, then it may give them the best chance of landing a high-profile striker.
