Arsenal believe there is an opportunity to sign Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez this summer, according to The Athletic journalist James McNicholas.
The reporter was speaking on the Arsecast podcast when he explained why the Gunners are still optimistic that a deal could be done for the Argentinian international.
Inter need to sell to balance the books, while Martinez is thought to be one of the lowest earners in the Serie A side’s squad, meaning he could be open to a switch to the Emirates in order to get a substantial pay rise. McNicholas says a deal could happen before the transfer window closes:
“I think it is definitely one to keep an eye on because the clubs interested are absolutely serious. They really, really like this player and it’s seen as an unusual opportunity to sign a player of a lot of talent”
The main issue will be Martinez’s price tag. While it has been reported that the Argentine’s €111m (£94.8m) release clause has expired, it is still believed that Inter will hold out for around €80m (£68m).
It means Arsenal would need to sell the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and/or Eddie Nketiah in the next few weeks in order to fund a move for the player.
