Barcelona’s search for a new center-forward has taken a fresh turn, with Lautaro Martinez emerging as the club’s top target as their pursuit of Julian Alvarez hits a wall. With no resolution in sight with Atletico Madrid over Alvarez, Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco have reportedly shifted their focus toward Inter Milan’s captain in these final days of the transfer window.
According to Jijantes‘ Gerard Romero, Lautaro is now the name Barcelona are putting all their effort behind. “Lautaro Martinez is the name Hansi Flick and Barca are working to close. It’s a very difficult operation, agreed, but it’s priority number one. There was Julian, Lautaro and the rest of the options,” Romero reported.
The Argentine forward’s camp appears open to the idea. Romero added that a recent meeting between Deco and Lautaro’s agent in Madrid was meant to lay the groundwork and gauge real interest. “Lautaro opened the door to Barca, and now Lautaro is the top option. We’ll see how these next 10 days play out, but Lautaro is out in front to be the striker Barca are looking for,” he added.
Any deal will still require serious negotiation with Inter, since Lautaro has a contract through June 2029 with no release clause, and his transfer value is estimated at around €85 million by Transfermarkt.
Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan. (Getty Images)
Barcelona will need to reach an agreement with the Italian club before Europe’s transfer window closes on September 1, all while having already wrapped up the signings of Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon, Jesse Bisiwu and Rodri earlier this summer.
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Julian Alvarez looks set to stay at Atletico Madrid
Despite Barcelona’s shifting focus, one thing seems increasingly clear: Julian Alvarez isn’t going anywhere this summer. Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo reaffirmed the club’s stance while speaking to the media, insisting the forward was never for sale.
“I already said from the start that he wasn’t being sold, that he was our player and an important piece of our team. As an important piece, we want him, we like having him with us, and I think he’s going to have a magnificent season,” Cerezo said.
He also brushed off the tension from Alvarez’s public request to leave, adding, “I don’t know if he’ll apologize, but Julian is an excellent person, and I’m sure he’ll win the fans back over within two matches“.
Diego Simeone still left Alvarez out of the squad for the LaLiga opener against Malaga, a decision tied both to his late return from vacation and the standoff over his proposed exit, but with Cerezo’s comments making Atletico’s position unmistakably clear, all signs now point to Alvarez staying put for at least one more season.
