- Lautaro Martínez confirmed during Gran Galà del Calcio that Barcelona’s interest in him was real, but he chose to remain with Inter
- The 27-year-old Inter captain said his bond with the club, his teammates and the San Siro supporters outweighed the chance to move to Camp Nou
- Gabriel Heinze called Martínez last week to explore a potential Arsenal move while Arsenal were also pursuing Julián Álvarez
Barcelona Links Were Genuine, Says Inter Captain
Lautaro Martínez has addressed the long-running speculation that connected him with a transfer from Inter to Barcelona, confirming that the Catalan club’s interest was not merely rumour. Speaking during the “Gran Galà del Calcio” the Argentina international explained that the possibility of moving to Camp Nou had been real, but that his decision was to continue in Milan.
The Inter captain had been linked with Barcelona across several transfer windows, yet no move was completed. Martínez has now made clear that the opportunity to join one of world football’s most historic clubs was something he genuinely had to consider.
“The rumours about Barcelona were true, but in the end I wanted to stay here, together with my teammates and my fans,” the 27-year-old striker said.
🚨🇦🇷🎙️ Lautaro on Barcelona rumours:
"The rumours were TRUE. But in the end, I wanted to stay here with my teammates, with these people, with these fans who have always been magnificent to me.
It's definitely a great pleasure, a great honor, and a huge satisfaction because… pic.twitter.com/v1oeItedHN
— Inter Xtra (@Inter_Xtra) September 2, 2026
Inter Loyalty Took Priority
Despite interest from La Liga, Martínez said his attachment to Inter proved decisive. His relationship with the Nerazzurri supporters at San Siro and the dressing room in Milan ultimately carried more weight than the prospect of a transfer to Spain.
The forward underlined how strongly he feels about the club and his ambitions for the future in black and blue.
“For me, Inter is pride, happiness and the desire to continue. I chose to stay here once again, I want to achieve great things with Inter.” Martinez also thanked an important figure in his career: “Ausilio? I am very sorry, he was the one who gave me trust and the project. I will be forever grateful to him.”
His choice to stay delivered clear rewards. Martínez went on to help lead Inter to several domestic trophies, including the Scudetto, further strengthening his position as a major figure at the club.
Chivu Praises Martínez’s Ambition
With his attention now on the new season, Martínez is looking to move beyond transfer speculation and pursue further success with Inter in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. His coach, Christian Chivu, also highlighted the striker’s commitment.
“Lautaro is our captain because he loves this shirt and this will be his ninth year in this team,” Chivu said. “He is motivated and has a lot of ambition, despite the disappointment of the lost World Cup final. He has the right ambition, he returned from the World Cup as early as possible, shortened his vacation and had only a few days off before returning to work. I think he is ready to have a great season.”
Arsenal Contact and Argentina Reflections
Alongside the confirmed Barcelona interest, Martínez has also been the subject of fresh attention from England. Arsenal coach Gabriel Heinze called the Inter striker last week to explore a potential move to the club. The Argentine made contact with Martínez while Arsenal were also pursuing Julián Álvarez.
Martínez also discussed whether he expected to feature more for Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reflecting on the level of competition within the national team and his own preparation.
“You always want to play, we had a team full of champions and very important players, of the highest level. You respect the coach’s choice, I prepared as best I could and I think I had an excellent World Cup.
I’m happy personally, it was a revenge for me after what happened in Qatar, I hadn’t arrived the way I wanted. This time I prepared mentally more than anything, there are a lot of rumours going around: it’s our job, it’s true, but when you do it with respect you accept everything, when you do it without respect I don’t accept it.”
Focus Turns to Inter Records
With his future clarified and his commitment publicly restated, Martínez is preparing to continue his progress towards Inter’s records. Having already captained the side, won several domestic trophies including the Scudetto, and rejected the temptation of Barcelona, the Argentine remains central to the Nerazzurri’s plans.
