‘Impossible’: Barcelona Now Believe Lautaro Martinez Signing To Be Off The Table

FC Barcelona now believe that signing Lautaro Martinez this summer will be impossible, a report claims.

The Argentine had originally impressed the Blaugrana when scoring a two-minute effort against them for Inter Milan, in an October Champions League group clash at the Camp Nou.

With the club on course for record revenue, there was big talk of landing both Martinez and Neymar in this window, which soon died down once the coronavirus pandemic swept through Europe and imposed a three-month pause on its soccer championships.

This led to Barça losing a reported €300mn, making the previously-easy triggering of the striker’s €111mn release clause a tall order.

Different proposals were put on the table by the Catalans, such as €70mn in cash plus left-back Junior Firpo (valued at €41mn) heading to the San Siro, but all of them were knocked back by the Italians.

The La Liga giants then opting to put negotiations on hold until after their UCL run – and Inter’s Europa League push which took them to the final – had been wrapped up, the two parties were still unable to reach an agreement.

While the Nerazzurri were willing to lower their asking price to €85mn, Barça wished only to pay €65mn and talks have now hit a brick wall.

On Tuesday morning, then, Mundo Deportivo journalist Fernando Polo relays his discovery from sources inside the club that it is now “almost impossible” to deliver the long-term successor to Luis Suarez, who is likely headed to Inter’s domestic rival Juventus in the coming days.

Furthermore, new head coach Ronald Koeman prefers his former Netherlands national team charge Memphis Depay, who is in the last year of his contract at Lyon and would be much cheaper at €25-30mn.

It is thought that any capture of Martinez will have to wait next summer, when Barça’s finances might be replenished after a full 2020/2021 campaign.

With a new president and Xavi replacing Koeman as manager, Lionel Messi’s stay could be prolonged beyond next June, and it is big name signings of stars such as his Argentina colleague Martinez which might see him convinced of a new sporting project and retire a one-club man in the Catalan capital.