According to a report from the Sun, Manchester City are currently leading a four-horse race for the signature of Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez – with the Sky Blues on the hunt for a potential Sergio Aguero successor as he reaches his twilight years.
Martinez, who has bagged 16 goals and four assists in 31 appearances this season for Inter, is reportedly the target for a host of top clubs – with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona also keeping tabs on the 22-year-old.
However, as revealed by the Sun, City look to be first in line and are willing to pay his eye-watering £97.5 million buy-out clause when the recent pandemic comes to an end.
Described as ‘the new Aguero’ by former Premier League striker Hernan Crespo in an interview with Sky Sports Italia, he appears to be regarded by the ex-Chelsea forward as a capable replacement for City’s club legend – going on to describe Martinez as similar to the 31-year-old but a better team player.
Would you bring Martinez to the Etihad?
Yes
No
When comparing the stats, Martinez has the edge in almost every aspect except goals scored – with Aguero’s compatriot recording more shots per game on average, a higher amount of key passes and a greater number of completed dribbles in the league this season according to WhoScored.
As well as this, the 22-year-old has been praised in the past by none other than Barcelona ace Lionel Messi – with the footballing icon describing Martinez as ‘spectacular’ in a recent interview with Mundo Deportivo.
Taking all this into account, it’s fair to say that, if we were to pay the £97.5 million clause and bring the youngster to Manchester, it could be worth every penny given his past endorsements.