Deco Opens Talks With Argentine’s Agent

Barcelona have made Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez their top attacking target for the final weeks of the transfer window, after their pursuit of Julian Alvarez collapsed entirely. Sporting director Deco reportedly met the Argentine’s agent, Alejandro Camano, in Madrid recently, sparking fresh speculation over a potential move to Camp Nou.

Notably, sources close to Martinez suggest his representatives responded positively to the possibility, with reports claiming the striker has “opened the door” to a switch. However, complications abound. Inter removed the €120 million release clause from his contract during his most recent renewal, meaning any deal must now be negotiated directly with the Nerazzurri hierarchy.

That negotiation looks genuinely difficult. According to respected Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Inter consider Martinez untouchable and have no intention of entertaining offers for their captain. Notably, Barcelona haven’t even submitted an official bid yet, with talks so far limited to informal contact rather than any concrete proposal.

Martinez’s importance to Inter is hard to overstate. Since arriving from Racing Club in 2018 for €25 million, he’s scored 175 goals in 376 appearances, winning three Scudetti and captaining the club through their recent domestic double of Scudetto and Coppa Italia. His current contract runs until 2029.

Barcelona Face Steep Uphill Battle

Interestingly, Martinez’s own agent addressed transfer speculation directly back in May, insisting his client remained happy in Milan and had no desire to leave. Whether that stance has genuinely softened, or whether Barcelona are simply testing the waters again, remains unclear.

Financially, this pursuit represents a considerable gamble. Transfermarkt values Martinez at €85 million, and given Inter’s reluctance to sell, any successful bid would likely need to exceed that figure substantially.

For Barcelona, this pursuit follows a frustrating summer chasing alternatives after Atletico Madrid repeatedly refused to discuss Julian Alvarez. Whether Deco can convince Inter to reconsider remains genuinely uncertain, according to Goal, with the transfer window closing fast.

Readers following Barcelona’s summer search for a new striker can find continued coverage on KCPredict as this saga develops.