Lautaro Martinez Emerged as Barcelona’s Alternative to Alvarez

Barcelona sporting director Deco has confirmed the Catalan club wanted to sign Inter captain Lautaro Martinez this summer, but dropped the pursuit the moment Inter made clear their talisman was not for sale.

Deco made the admission in interviews with Sportitalia and Sky Sport Italia, ending months of speculation in Spanish and Argentinean media over a possible move for the Argentine forward. “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 said, adding that Barcelona never made contact with Lautaro or his agent once Inter’s position was relayed.

Why Barcelona Turned to Lautaro

Barcelona’s first-choice target was Julian Alvarez, but Atletico Madrid refused to sell, pushing the club to weigh alternatives among Serie A’s top centre-forwards. Lautaro fit the profile: last season’s Capocannoniere, Inter’s captain, and a driving force behind the Nerazzurri’s Scudetto and Coppa Italia double, as well as Argentina’s run to the World Cup final.

Deco was effusive about the striker even while explaining why the deal never advanced. “Lautaro is an idol for Inter and we have a lot of respect for that,” he said. “I think he is a fantastic player, spectacular, an icon, a legend of Inter and their captain.”

No Bid, No Contact With Camp

Crucially, Deco stressed the approach went no further than club-to-club dialogue. There was no personal-terms agreement and no meeting with representatives, as Lautaro himself made clear when addressing the links earlier this month, reaffirming his commitment to the project Inter have built around him, detailed further in Inter’s broader plans for their captain.

Deco did not rule out revisiting the idea down the line. “He is a player that we liked and we still like,” he said. “I personally like him very much.”