Manuel Fernandez was the coach of Lautaro Martinez in the youth team at Racing de Avellaneda. “At the age of 17, Martinez had reached an important point with Racing: in Argentina, the strong, first-team players are usually in a big team since they were much younger, and in 2014 he was still playing in with Bahia Blanca. All of a sudden: two years later he was signed Racing and now he is in Europe with Inter” Fernandez told Gazzetta dello Sport.

Was his ability to score the characteristic that impressed you the most? 

“It was not the main thing, I noticed immediately that he could play the ball with both feet, in a difficult situation he could come out from both the right and the left, and when he moved from a striker to a number 10 position he could handle the ball and he never lost it.”

What is his preferred role? 

“He can play in all the attacking roles: from outside the box he has speed and he can beat his man, in the area he boasts that special instinct for goal, he has great control of the ball and the ability to make the correct decisions.”

Who does he remind you of? 

“I’d say Agüero because, like Sergio, he can stay in the area or go out, I have no doubt that he can reach his level.”

How is he feeling? What does he say about Inter? 

“I talk to him often, he’s happy, he’s fine, one of the reasons he chose Inter is to have more minutes than anywhere else, he wants to always play, to adapt and to grow.”