Inter line up Joaquin Correa as Lautaro Martinez alternative
By Tom Gott
Inter are not convinced that Lautaro Martinez will still be at the club next season and are beginning to search for alternatives, with Lazio's Joaquin Correa the preferred replacement.
23-year-old Martinez has just two years remaining on his contract and has been hesitating to commit to an extension for over 12 months now, leaving some at the club fearing that he could have his heart set on a move elsewhere.
That sentiment is also shared by a handful of clubs around Europe. Atletico Madrid are chasing Martinez, while Arsenal have been credited with an interest in the Argentine recently as they look to bolster their attack.
Inter have made it clear that they do not want to sell Martinez, but as noted by Sky Sport Italia, there are fears that his contract situation could give them no other choice. They do not want to see his value depreciate as he approaches the end of his contract and could be forced to sell up soon if Martinez continues to delay extending.
Should Inter accept defeat in their attempts to keep Martinez, they will dip into the market for an alternative, and manager Simeone Inzaghi has stressed that he wants Correa to be the man to take over from Martinez.
Correa, who turns 27 later this month, bagged eight goals and four assists in 28 appearances for Lazio, firing them to sixth in the Serie A standings last year.
His form has already caught the eye of Paris Saint-Germain, who have made an informal move for Correa already this summer.
The French side have attempted to use Pablo Sarabia as part of a deal for Correa, but just like Inter, Lazio are reluctant to part ways with their Argentinian talisman.
It has been suggested that Inter are under slight financial pressure to sell this summer, despite having already sold Achraf Hakimi to PSG, and there could still be one more big departure from San Siro before the summer comes to an end.
Chelsea are hot on the tail of Romelu Lukaku, but there is a long list of clubs chasing Martinez as well. Inter want to keep both, but there is an acceptance that it simply may not be possible to do so.