Barcelona target Lautaro Martinez is happy at Inter Milan, insists Javier Zanetti

Top target: Barcelona are chasing a deal for Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez
AFP via Getty Images
Ben Hayward2 April 2020

Inter Milan legend and vice-president Javier Zanetti hopes Lautaro Martinez will stay at the Italian club for a "long time" despite interest from Barcelona in signing the striker.

Martinez is the Catalans' top transfer target as they seek a long-term replacement for 33-year-old Luis Suarez and the Argentine international has a release clause worth €110million.

But Zanetti told Sky Sport Italia: "I'm pleased to speak about Lautaro because when we signed him in 2018 [from Racing Club], we had been following him for some time.

"He was the most promising player in Argentine football.

"Speaking to [former Inter striker and current Racing sporting director] Diego Milito, we said he could have an important value.

"Now he is a fixture at our club, in our national team. He is 22 years old. Seeing him training, he looks happy to me.

"I hope he stays a long time. He's our patrimony."

Earlier this week, the striker's agent Beto Yague said his client was attracting interest from the best teams in the world.

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