Lautaro Martinez has confirmed that Barcelona explored the possibility of signing him during the closing days of the transfer window, but the Inter Milan captain says he chose to remain with the Italian club.
Speculation over the Argentina striker’s future intensified after Atletico de Madrid maintained its refusal to allow Julian Alvarez to leave for Barcelona. The Catalan club had shown interest in Alvarez, while the player was reportedly keen to find a route that would enable the move to take place.
As negotiations for Alvarez became increasingly difficult, Martinez emerged as a possible alternative to strengthen Barcelona’s attack. Inter Milan had previously denied receiving a formal offer from Barcelona and made clear that it was not prepared to enter discussions over the sale of its forward.
Martinez addressed the reports for the first time while attending the Calcio Gala in Italy. Speaking to Sky Italia, in comments reported by the Catalan newspaper Sport, he acknowledged that Barcelona’s interest had been genuine.
“Receiving offers like these is always a source of pride, because I am constantly working to remain at the highest level of football. The reports were true,” he said.
The 29-year-old nevertheless stressed that staying at Inter remained his preferred option. He said the club had always been his first choice and that he wanted to continue playing alongside his team-mates and in front of the supporters.
“I have always said that I want to stay at Inter, alongside my team-mates and our fans. As long as they want me, I will remain at this club,” Martinez added.
His contract with Inter runs until 2029. The forward has established himself as one of the central figures in the team and wears the captain’s armband.
Barcelona eventually turned to another solution in attack, signing Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal to lead its frontline this season.
Martinez also acknowledged that circumstances in football can change, leaving open the possibility that his situation could be different in the future. However, he again underlined his satisfaction with life at Inter and his desire to continue improving there.
“We all know that in the world of football, when you are no longer useful, they ask you to leave. Playing for Inter is a source of pride for me, and I am happy here. I want to stay, continue developing every day and compete for the biggest trophies with Inter,” he said.
The comments provide Martinez’s clearest explanation yet of the transfer speculation. While he accepted that Barcelona’s interest was real, his public position is that he remains committed to Inter, with his long-term contract giving the club security over his future.
