Manchester City transfer target Lautaro Martinez has dealt the club a blow to their hopes of bringing him to the Etihad Stadium this summer. The in-form Inter striker has suggested he has no plans on leaving the Milan based club and puts his improved form down to Antonio Conte and the fact he is now playing with a strike partner – a luxury he may not be afforded in a Pep Guardiola team.
The forward told Sky Sport Italia (via Goal.com): “Last year, I played in a team with a coach who played with only one striker in attack.
“I knew that in front of me there was the captain, Icardi, the most important player for Inter, and obviously it was very complicated for me to play. I always trained to the maximum, but I knew it was like that. I had the chance to play a few minutes but not like I would play now.
“This year, I had a great Copa America, then I met [Antonio] Conte, who works at high intensity and treats all players in the same way. This makes everyone train to the maximum.
“Then there is Romelu [Lukaku], who is a great person on and off the pitch. We are working hard to follow the coach’s instructions and take Inter to the top.”
Is it too early to be searching for an Aguero replacement?
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Speaking regarding his future Martinez showed no signs of being ready to swap life in Milan for that of Manchester.
“Inter is my home,” he said. “That’s something very important for me.”
“I try to work hard and prove with humility on the pitch that I deserve to wear this shirt. I want to bring as much joy as possible to the Nerazzurri fans and my family.”
TIF Tactics – The rise of Lautaro Martinez
The 22-year-old, who is valued at £36m by TransferMarkt, showed signs of his ability during last season in the midst of the Mauro Icardi saga and was one of the few positives in what was a disappointing season overall. The former Racing Club striker managed 6 goals in 27 appearances during the 2018/19 campaign but his form has taken a significant upturn since Conte’s arrival.
Just 14 games into this season, Lautaro has already managed eight goals and his performances are attracting the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs. His impressive performances are one of a number of reasons Inter are threatening to win Juventus’ Scudetto this season but despite the paper talk, he seems content with life in the Italian city of Milan.