Mikel Arteta is seeking to add a new striker to Arsenal’s squad this summer after coming close to winning the Premier League title.
Highly sought-after star Lautaro Martinez has expressed his desire to have his future settled before Argentina’s first Copa America match on June 21. Arsenal is reportedly interested in Martinez, but a summer move might become unlikely as the striker reveals that a new contract with Inter Milan is ‘getting closer’.
Over the past six seasons, the 26-year-old has been remarkably consistent in scoring goals for Inter. This season has been his best so far, netting 24 times in 33 Serie A matches.
With just two years left on his Inter contract, top clubs are reportedly monitoring Martinez’s situation, anticipating that the Nerazzurri might choose to sell him while they still can.
Valued at £94 million by Transfermarkt, only a handful of clubs globally could afford the Argentine international. His recent comments indicate he might soon be entirely out of reach, as contract negotiations with Inter are progressing well.
“We are getting close, there are a couple of things missing,” Martinez told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I said ‘this week’ because the season will end and because I want to fix everything before the Copa America.”
Argentina will start their Copa America group stage campaign against Canada on June 21. They also have pre-tournament friendlies scheduled against Ecuador and Guatemala.
Inter have just over three weeks to secure Martinez’s future. While his unavailability would be a setback for the Gunners, an early summer contract announcement would allow them to refine their list of attacking targets without pursuing a futile option.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly looking for a new striker to compete with Kai Havertz at the forefront of his attack. This comes after Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah both struggled to make an impact in north London this season.
Newcastle United’s standout player, Alexander Isak, is reportedly the ideal signing for Arteta. However, Newcastle is expected to strongly resist any attempts to acquire the Swedish forward, who ranked just behind Erling Haaland and Cole Palmer in the 2023/24 Premier League scoring charts.
If Isak becomes unattainable, Arsenal might turn their attention to promising young talents like Ajax’s Brian Brobbey or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko. Both players have been closely monitored by the Premier League’s second-placed team.
