Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona would push Inter striker Lautaro Martinez to stay in Milan, according to a report from Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport earlier today.
The report details how the 23-year-old Argentine striker has long been wanted by the Blaugrana, who wanted a long-term replacement for the aging Luis Suarez.
One of the big factors pushing Lautaro to Catalonia was the presence and insistence of his friend and compatriot, Lionel Messi. Playing alongside the 33-year-old star was an appealing prospect to the Inter striker.
However, the recent chaos at Barcelona thanks to Messi’s decision to leave the club may push Lautaro to prefer staying in Milan with the Nerazzurri, rather than looking for a move to the volatile Catalan side.
His girlfriend Agustina is also pregnant and the couple may prefer to stay in Milan rather than dealing with the stress of acclimatizing to a new environment and country.