Lautaro Martinez will have to wait a little longer before signing his new contract at Inter, according to a leading Italian transfer expert.
Inter are reportedly in danger of having to sell one or more key players in the summer to address their financial problems, and Lautaro is one of the most talked about players.
A report in Italy’s papers today claimed Real Madrid were preparing a €90 million offer for the striker, while Barcelona are thought to have revived their interest as well.
“Lautaro’s contract extension hasn’t been finalised,” Gianluca Di Marzio explained on Sky Sport Italia today.
“He changed his agent a few weeks ago and Inter will have to speak with him (Alejandro Camano, who also manages Achraf Hakimi).
“Compared to a few months ago, when he was tempted by Barcelona and Real Madrid, Lautaro is very happy (at Inter).
“We’ll need to understand Inter’s transfer plans and whether they need to sacrifice someone for financial reasons.”
Inter’s prospects for next season will depend heavily on whether Antonio Conte stays as head coach, but his future remains uncertain.
Conte is widely thought to be waiting for a meeting with Nerazzurri president Steven Zhang before making a decision.
“Conte staying is crucial if Inter want to continue their project, while they also need to make sure they don’t dismantle the squad,” Di Marzio added.
“It’s difficult to open a ‘cycle’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ll need to find out if Inter need to sell big players.
“It’s also true though that Juventus won for nine straight seasons despite selling players each year, it’s the club’s challenge to reinvest the money they receive.
“Conte’s future is pivotal to Inter continuing their cycle.”
Di Marzio also offered his own opinion on which players Inter should look to keep at all costs for next season.
“I think the untouchable players are Stefan de Vrij, Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku,” he argued.
“If someone offered €90 million in cash for Lautaro, I’d sell him before I sold Lukaku.”
