‘Rumors Are True’—Lautaro Martinez Confirms Barcelona Approach As Shock Arsenal Link Emerges
Inter striker Lautaro Martínez has confirmed he received an approach from Barcelona this summer, while a report has also claimed Arsenal reached out to discuss a potential deal.
The 29-year-old Argentinean is one of European soccer’s most prolific forwards and scored 22 times in all competitions last season as Inter won Serie A.
Martínez, who joined the Nerazzurri in 2018, has long been the subject of transfer speculation, but has remained fiercely loyal to the club he joined after leaving his his homeland as a youngster.
This summer, Barcelona were among the clubs linked with the 2022 World Cup winner as they sought to replace Robert Lewandowski as the spearhead of their attack. While much of the media focus was on Barça’s very public pursuit of fellow Argentina forward Julián Alvarez, there was apparently more substance to their interest in Martínez than many realized.
Speaking at the Gran Gala del Calcio—the Italian FA’s annual award ceremony to honor the best performers from the previous season—Martínez was candid about the La Liga winners’s interest.
Martínez: Barça Approach an ‘Honor’
Asked about Barcelona’s reported transfer interest by Sky Italia, he replied: “It’s certainly a great pleasure, a great honor, and an enormous satisfaction because you always work to improve, to move forward, to become better.”
Revealing his reasons for dismissing the approach from one of the world’s biggest clubs, Martínez cited his connection to Inter as a club and Milan as a city.
“When these offers or these calls from these huge clubs arrive, they’re always welcome. It’s a very important thing,” he continued. “Now I’m in a city that has supported me in an incredible way since day one. I have a restaurant, my children go to school. I’ll always be here because I feel good, because I’m happy.
“You never know in football. As long as they want me, those who are needed at Inter will be here. Of course, as I always say, it happens in every job. When you’re no longer needed, in the end they send you away. Now I’m here with all my heart and soul, just like I was on day one.
“The rumors were true. But in the end, I wanted to stay here with my teammates, with these people, with these fans who have always been magnificent to me.”
On Wednesday night, Martínez was named in the Serie A Team of the Year 2025–26, along with four of his Inter teammates, while he was also given the Best Forward award.
Arsenal’s Late Move for Martínez
Barcelona were not the only club who enquired about the two-time Serie A top scorer this summer, with Premier League champions Arsenal also getting said to have been knocked back.
The Daily Mail report that as the Gunners searched for attacking reinforcements late in the window, assistant manager Gabriel Heinze reached out to his countryman at Inter last week. However, nothing came of the interest, with Inter “refusing to entertain any kind of deal” for Martínez.
Interestingly, in that report it is claimed that the club were the ones to reject the proposal rather than the player and there is no speculation as to what the response might have been had Arsenal made their approach earlier in the window when Inter might’ve been able to line up a replacement.
Martínez has three years left to run on his current deal at San Siro.
Barcelona ended the window without making a marquee striker signing, as Alvarez remained at Atlético Madrid, though they did sign Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal for around €10 million ($11.5 million). Meanwhile, the Gunners made no late attacking additions to their squad as the transfer deadline passed on Sept. 1.
