Overview
- Barcelona shifted their primary striker pursuit to Lautaro Martínez after their bid for Julián Álvarez stalled, a change reported across multiple outlets in recent coverage.
- Sporting director Deco is reported to have met Lautaro’s agent in Madrid and the player’s camp has been described as open to discussing a move to Barcelona.
- Inter Milan recently renewed Lautaro’s contract and removed a prior €120m release clause, and the club has publicly stated the captain is not for sale and that it has received no formal bid.
- Any transfer would require direct, fast negotiations with Inter and likely a very large fee plus complex financial arrangements, making a deal difficult with the transfer window closing.
- If Barcelona cannot bridge the gap, they are exploring alternatives such as Gabriel Jesus, while Hansi Flick faces continued pressure to replace the departed forwards before the deadline.