Inter Milan want Lautaro Martinez to submit public transfer request in order to leave — report

Lautaro Martinez may be on the radar of nearly every top team in Europe, but Inter Milan will not let him go without a fight.

After Mauro Icardi left (on loan to PSG) under acrimonious circumstances last summer, the Nerazzurri want to build the team around the 22-year-old, who has become an integral part of Conte’s project. The €25m Inter paid two years ago looks like an absolutely bargain, and they’re expected to insist on any potential suitors meeting the €111m release clause.

As per a report from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Caught Offside), they will also insist that Lautaro himself “publicly come out and ask for a move” before the will even consider any negotiations from that stance.

While Barcelona are still the frontrunners for Lautaro’s signature, his high buyout and Barcelona’s financial woes could yet present an opportunity for Chelsea (or others) to swoop in — especially in the expected event of this thing turning into yet another long drawn-out saga. Chelsea reportedly could beat any financial package from Barcelona, which could become a factor at some point and maybe even outweigh Messi’s allure.

Stay tuned!