Arsenal have rekindled their interest in Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez, according to reports. Last summer, the Argentinian forward was linked with moves to both the Emirates Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur, but he ultimately chose to stay with the Serie A side.
Mikel Arteta ended up not signing anyone for the striker position, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving for Barcelona and Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah set to become free agents at the end of the season. Folarin Balogun, a recent academy graduate, would be the only natural centre-forward choice.
When asked about his plans to buy a striker this summer, the Spaniard said: “Now is the time to lift the bar on quality. The first priority is to find someone who can put the ball in the net. Any successful team must have a sufficient number of goal scorers.”
Since then, a number of people have been linked to the move, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Darwin Nunez, as well as Tammy Abraham and Gabriel Jesus. The Gunners, though, have rekindled their interest in Inter Milan attacker Lautaro Martinez, according to The Times.
They were thought to be in a bidding tussle with Spurs to sign him last summer, but they didn’t have the funds to meet the Nerazzurri’s asking price. The Lilywhites may have done so, but the Serie A champions were rumoured to have canceled a deal when Romelu Lukaku moved for Chelsea in the same transfer window.
Shortly after, the 24-year-old signed a new contract, extending his stay until 2026, and has since scored 17 goals in 32 league appearances. Despite his good form, Inter are reportedly eager to sell him this summer for between £60 and £70 million.
Mikel Arteta’s signing of the Argentina international may be a major statement of intent for next season, yet their ultimate position this season may have an impact on the possible deal. They have yet to qualify for the Champions League, but if they do, it will provide them the best chance of signing a high-profile striker.
