Transfer Centre

Inter Milan 'put £78.5m price tag on Lautaro Martinez'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 30 April 2020

Inter Milan reportedly lower their asking price for rumoured Barcelona target Lautaro Martinez to €90m (£78.5m), but are reluctant to accept a player-plus-cash deal.

Inter Milan have reportedly dropped their asking price for Lautaro Martinez to €90m (£78.5m).

The 22-year-old has emerged as a top transfer target for Barcelona, who are understood to have identified him as their ideal long-term successor to Luis Suarez.

Martinez has a €111m (£96.9m) release clause in his contract which comes into effect this summer, and Inter had initially been demanding for the full amount to be paid.

However, Italian outlet La Gazzetta claims that they have now lowered their demands to £78.5m, although this could still be beyond Barcelona's capabilities in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Spanish giants had been hoping to include players in any deal in order to lessen the price tag, but Inter are holding out for the fee to be paid in cash.

The report claims that Inter's asking price has forced Barcelona to consider possible alternatives to Martinez, including RB Leipzig striker and rumoured Liverpool target Timo Werner.