Chelsea will face competition from Real Madrid in their pursuit of the Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martínez. The Argentine is once again on the radar of a number of European sides, having had his best season to date with the Nerazzurri, scoring 28 goals in 56 appearances across all competitions.
The Times now report that ‘signing a striker is among the primary targets for Chelsea this summer’ and Martínez is ‘high on the club’s list of possible targets.’
The newspaper outline how new Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino is a long-time admirer of Lautaro and believes he is ‘among the best strikers in the world’:
Martínez’s future is expected to be decided after the Champions League final against Manchester City in Istanbul, but Real, who pursued Martínez before his move to Inter from Racing Club in 2018, are understood to have identified him as a potential signing this summer.
Karim Benzema’s departure from the Bernabéu, signing for the Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad, has forced Real into entering the market for a new striker.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane is among the top targets but would likely cost at least £100 million with an upfront payment this summer. Real are already committing to an even greater outlay to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund and may struggle to afford both this summer.
Kai Havertz, the Chelsea forward, is another possible option for Real as Pochettino and Chelsea aim to trim the 33-man bloated squad.
