Barcelona have reportedly identified Lautaro Martínez as a possible alternative should their pursuit of Julián Álvarez fail, though any move for the Inter captain would be a formidable undertaking.
According to ilnapolista.it, relaying Spanish outlet El Desmarque, Álvarez remains Barcelona’s first choice to lead Hansi Flick’s attack, but negotiations with Atlético Madrid have proved complex, with the Spanish champions adamant they will not sell their star to a direct rival.
That resistance has pushed Barça to explore fallback options, and Lautaro, long admired in Catalonia by both Flick and sporting director Deco, is among them. His profile is seen as an ideal fit: a forward who links play, drops into build-up and guarantees goals in the box.
Lautaro’s Inter commitment makes any Barcelona move unlikely
The reality, however, is that this remains firmly in the realm of speculation. Lautaro is not merely an Inter player but the club’s captain and talisman, tied to a contract until 2029 and a figure who has repeatedly professed his commitment to San Siro.
Inter would demand an enormous fee, one most observers doubt Barcelona could meet, and any negotiation would likely only begin if the Argentine himself pushed to leave, of which there is no indication.
Lautaro has been linked with Barcelona before without the interest developing into anything concrete. Fresh from scoring the goal that sent Argentina to the World Cup final, he remains one of Europe’s most coveted strikers, but for now, this looks far more like a name on a Spanish shortlist than a genuine threat to Inter.
Source: Football Italia