Barcelona manager Quique Setien is unsure whether the club can land the signature of Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan amid the uncertainty of the nature of the transfer market.
The Argentina international has been regularly linked with a move to the Blaugrana this year and he has recently been backed by his representative to join the Spanish champions.
Still, the Blaugrana will need to trigger the £102m release clause in the striker’s contract, given the Nerazzurri are reluctant to accept a player-plus-cash deal to reduce the price tag.
In a recent interview with Onda Cero (h/t Goal.com), Setien was asked for an update on the club’s interest in Martinez, to which he said: “We talk about transfers, but this pandemic is going to condition many things.
“The situation of the clubs will be economically complicated. I am not pessimistic or optimistic with Lautaro. I like how I like great footballers, but I have no illusions with any.”
Football across Europe (barring Belarus) has been suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and that has hampered a number of clubs on the financial aspect.
The Blaugrana may not be affected drastically by the situation but they may still need to recoup funds through player sales before making the formal move for Martinez’s services.
The Argentine is currently in his second campaign with the Nerazzurri and he has been in impressive form, having registered 17 goals and four assists for the club across all competitions.
The Catalan giants have had Luis Suarez as their main striker over the past six years but there is the need for a quality competitor with the Uruguayan struggling with injuries since the start of the previous season.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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