Barcelona considers Lautaro Martínez as backup option if Julián Álvarez deal falls through

Barcelona has a Plan B, and it wears the Inter Milan armband. The Catalan giants are eyeing Lautaro Martínez as their fallback striker option after negotiations for Julián Álvarez hit a wall, with Atlético Madrid refusing to budge on either availability or valuation. Why Álvarez isn’t coming easy Barcelona’s original plan was straightforward: sign Álvarez from Atlético Madrid to anchor the attack for years to come. That plan ran headfirst into Atlético’s asking price, which sources describe as elevated, and their general unwillingness to let the Argentine forward leave. The club has reportedly scaled back its pursuit of Álvarez, pivoting toward alternatives rather than continuing to bang on a door that won’t open. Martínez: the Inter Milan captain with 20-goal seasons Lautaro Martínez is not exactly a consolation prize. The 28-year-old Argentine is Inter Milan’s captain and one of Serie A’s most consistent goalscorers, having notched 20 goals in a recent season. Barcelona’s coaching staff appears to agree. Both manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco reportedly view Martínez favorably. Martínez’s contract with Inter runs through 2029, giving the Italian club enormous leverag...