EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Chelsea are keeping a close eye on Lautaro Martinez as the Premier League outfit chase a new centre-forward but Serie A champions-elect Inter Milan are confident that their captain will stay in Serie A.
HITC Football understands that, with Chelsea hoping to bring an elite number nine to Stamford Bridge this summer, two of the biggest names in Italian football are emerging as priority targets.
Chelsea’s first choice is Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen. The Nigeria international fired Napoli to their first Scudetto triumph in three decades last season, and has seen his asking price fall from around £150 million to nearer £95 million since last summer.
HITC have also been told that, if The Blues fail in their pursuit of Osimhen, Mauricio Pochettino’s side may test the waters for Lautaro Martinez.
But while the 2022 World Cup winner has only two years left on his Inter Milan contract, there is a confidence behind the scenes at the Nerazzuri that fresh terms will be agreed. Inter are ready to make Martinez their highest earner in an attempt to ensure that the talks, which have dragged on since the middle of last year, come to a positive conclusion.
Chelsea want a new centre-forward
Martinez missed the vital penalty as Inter exited the Champions League to Atletico Madrid last week but remains one of the most in-form strikers anywhere on the continent. The former Racing Club kid has 23 goals in 26 league games – 26 in all competitions – and looks destined to end the campaign with both Italy’s Golden Boot award and a Serie A winners’ medal.
Simone Inzaghi’s side are cruising 14 points clear of city rivals AC Milan at the top of the table.
It remains to be seen how much Chelsea can spend this summer after a spell of heavy spending under Todd Boehly. The underperforming London giants do have Financial Fair Play rules to keep in mind. Inter too have had their fair share of financial concerns in recent seasons, however, with transfer insider Dean Jones suggesting that an offer in the £80 million bracket could tempt the Nerazzuri to cash in on their captain.
Lautaro Martinez has had a sensational season for Inter
“He’s spectacular,” Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi once said of Martinez. “He has impressive qualities. You could tell he was going to be a great player and he is showing that.
“He’s very strong, really good one on one, scores a lot of goals and in the area he fights with anyone, holds it up, he can turn, scrap to win it all on his own.
“He has a lot of quality. He’s very complete.”
HITC understands that Martinez is one of a number of alternative striker targets behind number one target Osimhen. We were told, back in January, that the two-time Champions League winners had been offered the chance to consider a selection of lesser-known options, such as AZ Alkmaar’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Club Brugge’s Kevin Denkey and Zenit St Petersburg forward Mateo Cassierra.
Sporting Lisbon’s 36-goal talisman Viktor Gyokeres is expected to be a man in demand over the summer too.
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