Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that the club made a serious attempt to sign Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez during the summer transfer window but were immediately blocked by Inter president Giuseppe Marotta.
Laporta explained that he personally contacted Marotta because Barcelona were interested in bringing the Argentine striker to Camp Nou. However, the Inter president made the club’s position clear from the beginning, insisting that Lautaro was not available for transfer.
According to Laporta, Barcelona respected Inter’s decision and ended their pursuit rather than pushing the negotiations further. He also described Lautaro as an excellent striker and admitted that the forward was a player the Catalan giants wanted for their attack.
The revelation confirms that Lautaro was more than just a name linked with Barcelona during the summer, with the club’s president personally involved in exploring the possibility of a deal. Inter had already made clear during the window that their captain was not for sale.
Meanwhile, Laporta has also thrown his support behind Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal in the 2026 Ballon d’Or race. The Barça president believes Yamal deserves the prestigious individual award and described the teenager as being ready to win it.
Yamal is among the official 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees, with the award ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London.
Laporta’s comments highlight Barcelona’s ambitions in the transfer market while also underlining the club’s belief in Yamal as one of the leading figures of its current project, ensuring the young winger remains central to their long-term European success and rebuilding strategy.
