Lautaro Martinez will be the player to replace Samir Handanovic as Inter Milan captain starting next season.
This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews, who report that the Argentine will be the player to inherit the armband at the Nerazzurri on a permanent basis.
Last season, Samir Handanovic was Inter captain.
However, it is not certain whether or not the Slovenian will be at the club next season.
Handanovic is out of contract with the Nerazzurri after his deal expired at the end of last month. Should he not put pen to paper on a new deal, then he will certainly depart.
And even if Handanovic does decide to stay on, it is not as though the 38-year-old would be starting many matches.
Therefore, Inter are ready to name a new captain for next season.
Lautaro Martinez Will Be Inter Milan Captain Next Season
Last season, Inter had a policy that when Handanovic was not in the starting eleven, the most senior player in the team would wear the armband.
That meant that Milan Skriniar frequently captained Inter from match to match.
However, the club stripped the Slovenian of the armband permanently after he rejected a contract offer and decided to join Paris Saint-Germain.
Meanwhile, Marcelo Brozovic frequently wore the armband last season. However, he too is gone like Skriniar, having joined Al-Nassr.
Veteran defender Danilo D’Ambrosio has also left Inter on a free transfer, even if he was never as serious a candidate to become the permanent captain like Skriniar or Brozovic.
That leaves one other viable candidate to inherit the armband.
Lautaro Martinez, who joined Inter back in 2018, was captain for several matches last season. And, should Handanovic depart, the 25-year-old would be Inter’s longest-serving player.
Moreover, Martinez is a hugely important player for Inter. Not just for his goals and holdup play, but also for his leadership.
The Argentine has stayed loyal to Inter despite transfer rumours linking him with some of Europe’s elite for several seasons.
Premier League giants Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur have all targeted the Nerazzurri striker in the recent past.
Barcelona and Manchester City have also chased Martinez during his time at Inter.
Inter are reportedly ready to start talks with Martinez in the fall regarding a prospective contract extension. The 25-year-old’s current deal runs out at the end of June 2026.
Inter want to make Martinez a key piece of their plans for years to come. And giving the striker the captaincy will be an important part of this.
