Lautaro Martinez (Getty Images)
According to Spanish newspaper Sport (h/t The Sun), Chelsea are ready to spend big in order to land Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez.
However, the Premier League side will face stiff competition from La Liga giants Barcelona, who for quite some time have set their eyes on the in-form Argentine. The report also claims that the Blues are willing to break the transfer records in a bid to battle it out against Barcelona for Martinez, who has a £100million release clause that is active from July 1 to 15.
Meanwhile, it is no secret that Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is in pursuit of an established striker who can give in-form Tammy Abraham some competition. The young Abraham has had a breakthrough season this year, helping Chelsea stay in top form this season. The 22-year-old is his side’s top goal-scorer with 13 goals in the league this season.
No other Chelsea player has passed the double figures in terms of goals, making him one of the side’s best performers so far. However, constant game time seems to have taken a toll on the young forward, who seems to have slowed down in recent games after a stellar start to the season.
The other two forwards – Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi, haven’t been entirely efficient, with the latter managing just one goal in the league so far. Giroud, on the other hand, hasn’t had many opportunities this season due to Abraham’s consistency and is already 33 now.
The veteran French star has scored two goals from nine league games, however, his figures represent that he is way past is prime, which is another reason Lampard should sign a new striker.
Lautaro, meanwhile, has been sensational for the Italian side, racking up 17 goals from 31 games this season. With 11 league goals, he is only second to teammate Romelu Lukaku, who has a whopping 17 goals to his credit.
The 22-year-old’s consistency at the highest level including the Champions League, where he scored five goals in six games for his side in the group stages, has made him an instant hit. Having arrived at the San Siro back in 2018, Martinez has scored 26 goals from 66 matches, making him a rising goalscoring hotshot.
Hence, Chelsea, who did not compete in the summer market last year due to their transfer ban, should try their best to land the in-form forward. However, given the fact that they have to face Barcelona for the Argentine’s signature, only time can tell what is in store for the Blues.
With Lampard clearly needing a talented striker who could help them improve their performances, Martinez looks like a perfect fit for the job. Moreover, Martinez’s arrival will give Abraham good competition for a starting place in the side, with the other strikers having failed to put up a good show.
