Pranav Nair
Manchester United set to demand Lautaro Martinez or Milan Skriniar as Inter Milan struggle to pay Lukaku fee
According to Il Corriere Dello Sport (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester United are set to demand that Inter Milan pay up the remaining £43million for Romelu Lukaku or sell them Lautaro Martinez or Milan Skriniar in exchange.
The Italian giants secured the Belgian striker for a mammoth £75million in 2019. While he has been an excellent addition to the Nerazzurri frontline, Inter have found it tough going off the field amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The Italians were supposed to make a bonus payment of £4.32m to United, something they have defaulted on. As per the terms of the contract, any missed payment will see Inter get forced to pay the outstanding fee in a single instalment.
According to the report, United are said to have asked about Martinez or Skriniar as compensation for the missed payment. Both players are key parts of the Inter squad that is topping Serie A at the moment.
Martinez is an excellent striker while Skriniar is an able defender who can strengthen our backline. The Red Devils need to strengthen both positions and in the Inter duo, they may find just that.
Inter’s owners Suning are reeling from the financial implications of the pandemic and have ceased operations at their Chinese clubs for the time being. The prospect of forking out a huge sum for Lukaku may prove to be difficult.
Not our problem!
However, Inter’s financial difficulties are not United’s concern and the club could work this in their favour. Moreover, Lukaku has been instrumental in Inter’s rise to the top.
It makes little sense for us to not receive payments while the player continues to work his magic on the pitch.
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How United decide to proceed could very well divide opinion. While some could argue that it is just the club demanding the terms of an agreed-upon contract be met, others could label United as a predatory institution seeking to strip a rival of their assets. Especially in a post-Covid economy.
Who comes out on top remains to be seen.
