Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a severe blow in their pursuit of Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez after Nerrazurri CEO Giuseppe Marotta signified that the Argentine will be staying at the Italian champions this summer. as per DAZN [via SportsMole].
The Lowdown: Speculation continues about Spurs' attack
With just over a week until the summer transfer window closes, speculation is still rife regarding the future of Tottenham's attacking options.
Harry Kane has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester City in recent weeks, but no such resolution has yet come to light with regards to his future [Daily Express].
The Lilywhites now look set to miss out on one prospective replacement for the England captain owing to recent developments from Italy.
The Latest: Martinez set to stay at Inter following Marotta comments
Speaking to Italian media, Marotta was quite bullish when talking about the chances of Martinez staying, stating: "Lautaro Martinez has decided to stay at Inter, he strongly wants to stay also with many clubs approaching us with official bids to sign Lautaro. We're so proud." [DAZN, via SportsMole].
He is expected to sign a contract extension at his current employers, with his current agreement set to expire in 2023.
Spurs have been heavily interested in the Argentina striker, with arch-rivals Arsenal also rumoured to have monitored his situation closely for the last few months [Daily Express].
The Verdict: Losing out on Martinez would be a bitter blow
This news will come as a bitter blow to the Tottenham hierarchy as they hunt high and low for avenues to improve their current roster.
The 24-year-old excelled for Inter last season, registering 30 goal contributions in 48 appearances across all competitions with 19 goals and 11 assists [Transfermarkt].
Furthermore, his appetite to be at the focal point of offensive passages of play very much shone through, with the Bahia Blanca native amassing 2.9 shots per Serie A match across the campaign [WhoScored].
Once described as being ‘very complete’ by none other than illustrious international teammate Lionel Messi [Mundo Deportivo], it will come as a major disappointment to Spurs that the Inter marksman looks unlikely to pitch up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.
In other news, Tottenham are interested in this Spain international