Lautaro Martinez joined Inter Milan in 2018 from Racing Club and has remained with the Serie A side since.
The Argentine striker is now Inter's captain and has made 342 appearances for them, scoring 158 goals with 51 assists.
With Inter, he has won Serie A twice and reached the Champions League final on two occasions.
Had the Nerazzurri beaten Paris Saint-Germain in last year's final of European football's top competition, then Martinez may have won the Ballon d'Or.
Unfortunately for Martinez, PSG won 4-0, and the award ended up going to Ousmane Dembele.
It is difficult to picture Martinez playing for another team in Europe, but he could be tempted to move to one of La Liga's biggest clubs.
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Ekrem Konur posted on X: "Barcelona are targeting Lautaro Martínez for next summer. Deco wants a top striker, and Lautaro is seen as the most realistic option ahead of (Harry) Kane, (Erling) Haaland and Julián Álvarez. Financial puzzle for Barça, but the ambition is clear."
Could Lautaro Martinez replace Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona?
The reason that Barcelona is being linked with so many top strikers is that Robert Lewandowski is in the final year of his contract. Lewandowski is now 37, so the club may not take up the option to extend his deal for another year.
Kane appears settled at Bayern Munich and may even extend his stay there. Erling Haaland has a remarkable contract at Manchester City, where he is tied down until 2034.
Alvarez is starring for Atletico Madrid, but also has a long-term contract with his club. His deal with Atletico expires in 2030.
Martinez also has a long contract, which expires in 2029. Therefore, making the transfer to him very difficult for a club like Barca, which has had financial difficulties in recent years.
Barcelona news and related links
- Deco drops hint on Barcelona’s striker plans as transfer approach revealed
- Barcelona eye Bundesliga forward as Robert Lewandowski replacement
- Toni Kroos reveals Barcelona’s hidden weakness and makes UCL prediction