Lautaro Martínez returns to Barcelona's radar as an alternative to Julián Álvarez

Lautaro Martínez could be one of the 'dark horses' for the FC Barcelona board in view of the summer 2026 transfer market. The Argentine striker, although he has a contract with Inter Milan until 2029, does not see his future at the 'nerazzurri' outfit as entirely clear after the departure of coach Simone Inzaghi.

The tough defeat in last season's Champions League final against PSG (5-0) precipitated Inzaghi's departure to Arabia, while Cristian Chivu took charge of Inter for the Club World Cup and the 25/26 season. Although the team is only 1 point behind the Serie A leader (AC Milan) and within the TOP-8 of the Champions League (6th), the 28-year-old forward does not rule out a change of scenery after the next World Cup.

Lautaro Martínez does not rule out leaving Inter after the World Cup

Lautaro has become captain and the main leader of the 'nerazzurri' team, which he joined in 2018 after flirting with a Barça that year opted for Brazilians Malcom and Arthur Melo as main reinforcements, along with Clément Lenglet

Martínez has scored 164 goals in 354 games for Inter, but the fact that he hasn't won the Champions League despite reaching two finals (2023 and 2025), in addition to the possibility of completing a second consecutive season without titles, could lead him to listen to offers next summer.

In this regard, the latest information indicates the interest of the Bahía Blanca native in resuming contact with Barça, through his agents, aware of Barça's interest in a '9'.

The Argentine international is valued at around 85 million euros on 'Transfermarkt' and his salary is around 8-9 'kilos' net per year. Considering he still has three years left on his contract with Inter, his release clause would be around €80M. A reasonable figure, considering the prices currently being handled in the European market for players of his caliber.

Lautaro **has already won the Copa América twice and a World Cup** with Argentina, being an important figure in Lionel Scaloni's system. Furthermore, he was the MVP of Serie A 23/24, with seven titles in Italy to his name, including two league titles.

Julián Álvarez Loses Ground as a Possible Lewandowski Replacement

The 28-year-old forward has an ideal profile to replace Robert Lewandowski, just like his compatriot Julián Álvarez. At the beginning of this season, 'The Spider' seemed to be the favorite of Barça's board to succeed the Polish goalscorer, whose contract ends in June.

However, the Atlético de Madrid striker's level in recent months has raised doubts about whether it would be worth paying around 100 'kilos' to the 'Colchonero' club for his transfer. **Julián has only scored 7 goals so far in LaLiga**, where he has gone 6 games without scoring.Furthermore, Lewandowski's departure is not yet confirmed. The experienced forward has scored 8 goals in the Spanish First Division and continues to have Hansi Flick's confidence.

Although Robert would have to renegotiate his contract downwards, as well as accept an increasingly secondary role, **everything points to the '9' wanting to stay in Barcelona**, as he feels very comfortable living in Catalonia and totally identified with the club and the fans.Flick, for his part, is satisfied with his contribution and that of **Ferran Torres**. The German coach has alternated both forwards in the first half of 25/26, managing to have **the duo produce 24 goals in the first 22 games** of the season.

Is Lautaro Martínez an Ideal Striker for Flick's Barça?

In any case, Barcelona's board does not rule out signing another '9' next summer, although Laporta, Deco, and Flick prefer to wait until the final stretch of the season to define what will happen with Lewandowski and Ferran himself, who has a contract until 2027 and is making merits to renew.

As a born '9', but **with a lot of mobility and capacity for sacrifice**, Lautaro would fit in perfectly with Flick's Barça. The German prioritizes incorporating intelligent players in their search for space, but committed to high pressing, two attributes that the Inter captain has polished considerably during his time in Serie A.

Martínez, in fact, **has even afforded himself the luxury of scoring against Barcelona on 3 occasions** in 8 matches with the 'nerazzurri', one of them in the historic semi-final tie of 24/25. If the parties resume contact in the coming months, the Argentine international could become one of the 'bombshells' of a summer that promises big surprises in the LaLiga market

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