Manchester United, Chelsea 'both interested in Lautaro Martinez'

Manchester United and Chelsea are both reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez.

The 25-year-old has scored 81 goals and registered 28 assists in 197 appearances for his Italian side since making the move from Racing Club in 2018.

Martinez has been consistently linked with a move away from San Siro during his five years at the club, but he signed a contract extension last October, with his current deal due to run until June 2026.

The Argentina international has again been in strong form for Inter during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring seven goals and registering four assists in 16 appearances in all competitions.

In Serie A, the striker has netted six goals and registered two assists in 11 appearances, while he has contributed one goal and two assists in five Champions League appearances to help his side reach the knockout round.

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According to InterLive, Man United and Chelsea are both keen to sign the South American next year, but a number of other clubs are also in the hunt for his signature.

The report claims that Atletico Madrid are huge admirers, although the Spanish outfit would struggle to pay the €90m (£77.2m) fee required to convince Inter to sell.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are also said to be keeping a close eye on the situation, with the latter now having the financial power to compete for the biggest names in world football due to their recent takeover.

However, the strongest interest is believed to be coming from Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, with the two Premier League giants both expected to be in the market for new strikers in 2023.

Romelu Lukaku is due back at Chelsea next summer following the completion of a loan spell at Inter, but the Italian side are said to be keen to sign him on a permanent basis.

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Any deal for Lukaku is likely to be separate to a possible Martinez switch, while a permanent move for the former is likely to depend on how he performs for the rest of the season.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrived at Chelsea in the latter stages of the summer transfer window, but the experienced forward is already being linked with an exit, with Paris Saint-Germain said to be keen to sign him.

Man United, meanwhile, are also expected to sign a new centre-forward in 2023, with Cristiano Ronaldo's contract at the club due to expire at the end of the season.

Marcus Rashford has largely operated through the middle for Erik ten Hag's side this season, but Anthony Martial has had a number of injury problems, so the team's options are limited in that area of the field.

Roma's Tammy Abraham and Napoli's Victor Osimhen are also believed to be on Man United's shortlist, with Ronaldo set to depart on a free transfer next June rather than during the January transfer window.