Ex-Barcelona Sporting Director Ramon Planes: “We Were Close To Signing Inter’s Lautaro Martinez Before COVID-19 Hit”

Former Barcelona Sporting Director Ramon Planes has revealed that the Blaugranas came close to signing Inter striker Lautaro Martinez at one point.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, Planes acknowledged that the Argentine had been a major target or the Catalan giants and that the economic effects of the pandemic were what ultimately stopped a deal from happening.

Martinez remains at Inter and even renewed his contract until the end of June 2026 during the fall, but he has been linked with moves to a number of Europe’s top clubs for several transfer windows.

Teams in La Liga have reportedly been tracking the 24-year-old for much of his time at Inter, and the Blaugranas in particular have long been admirers.

According to Planes, it is only the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented Barcelona from making their move for him.

“He was very close to joining us, very close,” Planes said. “Lautaro’s situation started began before Covid, we had many meetings with his agents and Inter executives and he was very close, then the pandemic changed football at an economic level. The outlay to buy him was too much.”