Arsenal are ready to more than triple Lautaro Martinez’s wage so that Mikel Arteta beats Tottenham Hotspur to signing the Inter Milan striker this summer, according to Eurosport.
Leading members of Spurs’ transfer department have been scouting the Argentine for the past two years. The north London side have long viewed Martinez as the ideal replacement for Harry Kane, but now believe there is a chance to pair him with the England captain.
Inter are massively struggling to balance the books at the San Siro this summer and may have to sell Martinez. So, Chairman Daniel Levy finally pushed the button and launched a pursuit with a formal offer worth more than £60m.
Tottenham are still waiting for Inter to decide if their offer is enough for Martinez, with Romelu Lukaku likely leaving. The Nerazzurri are keen to avoid losing both, but their financial plight may make it necessary. A situation Arsenal are also keen to keep an eye on.
Arsenal are yet to make Inter a formal offer for Martinez but are very interested in signing the £81,000-per-week forward. The Gunners have also indicated they would more than triple his wage to £275,000-per-week, having discussed personal terms.
Arteta and Technical Director Edu may have to put forward a more compelling financial proposal for Arsenal to beat Tottenham to signing Martinez. Football.london report the Inter star wants to join his compatriots Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso at Spurs.
Inter are at least considering replacements, with TuttoMercatoWEB reporting Lazio’s Joaquin Correa, Ciro Immobile and Atalanta’s Duvan Zapata are options.
Is cash enough for Arsenal to beat Tottenham to signing Inter’s Martinez?
Arteta will certainly hope cash is enough for Arsenal to beat Tottenham to signing Martinez if Inter elect to sell. The Copa America champion, who scored three at the tournament, also netted 17 in the Serie A last season. He further laid on 10 assists over his 38 appearances.
Arsenal would no doubt love to have a forward like Martinez able to pull the strings and find the net. Although Edu may still have to offload players first, given Gianluca Di Marzio reported a deal for Tammy Abraham was on hold while they try to sell Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal will be desperately seeking suitors for Lacazette before the August 31 deadline if Martinez does hit the transfer market. His former Racing Club teammate Juan Musso hailed the 23-year-old in March, via SempreInter: “When he was still in the reserve team, I once told him that he would be the next great Racing forward. We needed a magician, and he was that, he was really strong even then.”
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