Inter had been close to allowing striker Lautaro Martinez join Barcelona in 2020 for a €60 million fee along with wingback Junior Firpo.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInter1908, who note that the Nerazzurri had been close to sanctioning a deal worth around €80 million to sell the Argentine, but that the pandemic upended plans.
Martinez has been a target for a number of big clubs around Europe throughout his time at Inter, with Barcelona having been one of his main suitors.
Particularly in 2020, the Blaugranas had seriously stepped up their interest in signing the Argentine.
According to the Gazzetta, the negotiations had gotten quite far along, as Inter were willing to listen to offers, and the Catalan club were ready to meet their valuation of the striker by including former Real Betis and current Leeds United wingback Firpo.
The Spaniard was valued at around €20 million at the time, and so if the Nerazzurri had accepted an offer which included him in addition to a €60 million fee, it would have meant the total deal would have been worth around €80 million.
However, in the end, the financial effects of the pandemic disrupted things and ultimately brought them to a halt, and Martinez stayed an Inter player.