Krishnan Sreekumar
Inter Milan not interested in Manchester United swap deal offer to sign Lautaro Martinez for Anthony Martial and cash
According to Italian journalist Marco Barzaghi on Youtube (h/t The Express), Inter Milan are not interested in the swap deal offer proposed by Manchester United to sign striker Lautaro Martinez in the summer, in exchange for cash and Anthony Martial.
Although Martial is currently on loan with Sevilla after securing a move away in the winter transfer window, he is expected back at United at the end of the season. A future at Old Trafford looks uncertain for the Frenchman however, as he has fallen down the pecking order in the attack.
With the English club over-reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo this term for goals, a younger replacement as well as a possible striker partner is required in Manchester next campaign. After all, at 37, the Portugal skipper is not expected to last long-term at the club.
Martinez is an attacking option that the Premier League giants are keen on, after his heroics last year for Inter led them to a Serie A title. The Argentine’s goals were a big reason why the team managed to break their 11-year trophy drought.
Cash-only transaction preferred
As part of their attempt to prise the 24-year-old away from the Nerazzurri, United gave them a swap deal involving the sale of Martial as well as a fee of £42m. Unfortunately for the English side, Inter are said to be not very keen on going ahead with this transaction.
What the defending Scudetto champions would prefer instead is to receive only cash for their star striker. The Italian club is looking for ways to balance their finances, so an offer that gives them a monetary incentive would do the trick. As things stand, it is unclear whether United will return with another offer.
Although United were rejected in their approach for Martinez, the silver lining here is that Inter are open to selling the striker if they get the right price for him, in cash. It could prompt the Red Devils to get back to the drawing board and put together a concrete offer for the Argentina international.
Martial seemingly has no future at the club if he was offered as a commodity in a transfer offer, which could end the Frenchman’s association with the Manchester side after seven long years. Given he is on loan at Sevilla, it may be the last time we see the back of the 26-year-old.
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It is no secret that the English club is looking to add more firepower to their attack from next season, and Martinez could prove to be just what they are looking for. He is young, talented, and has got a taste for winning trophies – qualities that United are looking for in a young and hungry forward to play under incoming new manager Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman is expected to usher in a new era of success at Old Trafford when he takes charge of the team in the summer, and a major rebuild of the squad is being planned by the club hierarchy. It remains to be seen if Martinez could be a part of this new-look United side in the future.
