Inter Milan are reportedly planning to extend Lautaro Martinez’s contract once the transfer window is closed, amid links of a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs agreed a fee of £60million with Inter before they sanctioned the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, but now that they have agreed to sell their top striker for £97.5million, football.london understands that there is a long way to go on any Martinez deal.
According to Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via SempreInter, Inter do not want to lose any more key players after the sales of Achraf Hakimi and Lukaku, and are hopeful of warding off interest in Martinez to see him commit his future to the club, amid interest from top European clubs.
Given the Nerazzurri’s dismal financial situation following the pandemic, a move isn’t thought to be impossible, especially if they increase their current offer.
But with news now emerging that they are planning to extend Martinez’s stay in Italy, Inter will likely demand a much higher fee in the future, which could eventually put Spurs out of reach for any potential long-term move.
If Tottenham do manage to sign Martinez, they are understood to want to play him alongside striker Harry Kane.
After a delay in returning to Tottenham’s training ground following his post-Euro 2020 holiday to the Bahamas, rumours circulated that England’s captain had missed training in an attempt to force a move away from the club this summer.
However, Kane put out a statement on social media to deny that he had refused to train and he is now back in north London, with the striker expected to rejoin his team-mates in training this week ahead of the game against Manchester City.
Spurs have always said that they do not want to sell Kane, and thus signing Martinez would be a statement of intent from Fabio Paratici and the club’s hierarchy.
But if these reports are true, Spurs will have to return to Inter with an improved offer before it’s too late.
