Barcelona sporting director Deco has confirmed that the Catalan club explored the possibility of signing Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan this summer but immediately ended their pursuit after being told the Argentine striker was not available.
The transfer speculation intensified in the Spanish and Argentine media after Barcelona saw their first-choice pursuit of Julián Álvarez blocked by Atlético Madrid. However, Italian reports remained confident throughout the summer that Lautaro would stay at Inter.
Deco has now provided his version of events, insisting that Barcelona respected Inter’s position and never attempted to contact either Lautaro or his representatives once the Nerazzurri made their stance clear.
Lautaro is an idol for Inter and we have a lot of respect for that
Deco told Sportitalia and Sky Sport Italia.
I think he is a fantastic player, spectacular, an icon, a legend of Inter and their captain.
Barcelona had identified Lautaro as a player who could fit their plans, but Deco stressed that the club had no intention of trying to force through a transfer after Inter made it clear that their captain was not for sale.
The moment the club told us that he was not for sale, we didn’t try to go beyond that, and we didn’t talk about it anymore
Deco explained.
We try to do things fairly and clearly. At times there is speculation in the media, but the clubs know how things really went.
Spanish media reports had previously suggested that Lautaro and his representatives had already reached an agreement over personal terms with Barcelona, but Deco categorically denied that the Catalan giants ever contacted the player or his agent.
Look, it’s true that Lautaro Martinez was one of the players that we thought might be suited to Barca
Deco said.
However, when my President spoke to the Inter President, we were told he was not available, so we respected that and went no further.
We never contacted the player or his agent.
Lautaro’s status at Inter helps explain why Barcelona faced such a difficult task in attempting to prise him away from San Siro.
The Argentine is not only the club captain but also one of the most important figures in their attack. He played a key role in Inter’s trophy-winning campaign last season, helping the club secure both the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles while also reaching the World Cup final with Argentina.
Lautaro also finished as Serie A’s Capocannoniere last term, further strengthening his importance to Simone Inzaghi’s side.
Barcelona have therefore moved on from the pursuit for now, with Deco making it clear that the club must concentrate on the players already at their disposal rather than dwelling on targets they were unable to sign.
However, the sporting director did not completely close the door on a future approach for Lautaro.
He is a player that we liked and we still like. I personally like him very much
Deco added.
The comments leave open the possibility of Barcelona revisiting their interest in the future, although any move would once again depend on Inter’s willingness to negotiate for their captain.
