Barcelona are optimistic they will be able to win the race for Inter striker Lautaro Martínez, despite serious interest from both Chelsea and Manchester City.
Quique Setién's side are on the lookout for attacking reinforcements to compete with the ageing Luis Suárez, with emergency signing Martin Braithwaite shockingly not seen as the long-term solution.
Braithwaite might not be, but Martínez is, and Sport note that Barcelona are increasingly optimistic that they will be able to get this one over the line after convincing the Argentine that moving to Camp Nou is his best option.
Club officials have spent months speaking with Martínez's representatives, and they are understood to be certain that the Inter man wants to join Barcelona this summer.
They focused their efforts on convincing Martínez to snub rivals Real Madrid, but there is thought to be pressure on them from City and Chelsea, both of whom have indicated a willingness to shell out a huge fee to sign the 22-year-old.
Martínez has already snubbed Manchester United, but the other two Premier League sides are said to have held talks with the striker's agents.
However, Barcelona are not worried about either side. In a meeting following the closure of the January transfer window, club officials were relaxed about their pursuit of Martínez, with the only potential issue likely to be meeting Inter's demands.
He will have a €111m release clause which will be active for a two-week period in July, but there is no guarantee that Barcelona will be able to reach that. They don't have an infinite pool of money, but selling a number of fringe players should get the job done.
⚫️ Lautaro Martínez's first #UCL goal!#ThrowbackThursday | @Inter_en pic.twitter.com/qwwdPIE10n
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 10, 2019
It is even suggested that Barcelona could offer midfielder Arturo Vidal in a player-plus-cash deal. The Chilean is valued highly by Inter boss Antonio Conte, who is thought to be keen on a reunion with Vidal.
Everything looks to be going well, and Barcelona see this as a relatively simple deal to complete, which comes as a pleasant surprise to a side who are still trying to lure Neymar back from Paris Saint-Germain.
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Source : 90min