Italian giants Inter Milan have reportedly put together a fresh plan to keep in-demand forward Lautaro Martinez at the San Siro beyond this summer.
The Argentine forward has been linked with a move away from the reigning Serie A champions for some time, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly agreeing a fee for his services last summer. A move to North London did not materialise but that does not appear to have dampened interest.
Arsenal and Manchester United are the latest clubs to have been linked with a switch, both sides keen to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season. It was thought that the duo could take advantage of Inter's tricky financial situation to secure a deal.
The Nerazzurri were forced to cash-in on the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi last summer as the pair moved to Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain respectively. Inter eventually received around £154m for the pair, although their financial struggles still remain, suggesting that they might be forced to part ways with Martinez in the upcoming window.
However, it is suggested they have formulated another route with which to generate much-needed funds. As per Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, the club would prefer to cash-in on some of their promising young players instead of letting go of their established star performers.
The report claims the likes of Andrea Pinamonti and Martin Satriano could be sold, the pair having spent the season on-loan with Empoli and Brest respectively. Meanwhile, young Italian Sebastiano Esposito could also be on the move after his loan with Swiss giants Basel.
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It remains to be seen whether the combined fees would be enough to alleviate the financial strain on the club’s Suning ownership but they will certainly be hopeful of keeping Martinez at the San Siro. The 24-year-old has enjoyed another productive season this term with 21 goals to his name thus far, with Inter attempting to retain the Serie A crown.
He recently committed his future to the club by penning a new deal until the summer of 2026 and took to Instagram to express his delight at having extended his stay. He wrote: “I am very happy to have extended my contract with Inter. I will always give my best for this shirt as I have always done until now.
“THANKS to my teammates for always helping me on the pitch, THANKS to all the fans for the support they have always shown me, and THANKS to my family for always being by my side. #ForzaInter.”
Martinez, a 37-cap Argentina international, has been with Inter since a 2018 move from Racing Club. He will be hoping to add to his impressive record this term with Inter set to round off their league campaign against Empoli, Cagliari and Sampdoria. They are also set to face Juventus in the Coppa Italia final next week.
