How much will Man Utd & Chelsea target Lautaro Martinez cost?

James Shearman

• Updated: 20 May 2023 18:07 BST
• 3 min read

Inter Milan have set an asking price of £69.5 million for striker Lautaro Martinez, according to Football Insider.

Martinez is on the shortlists of Manchester United and Chelsea ahead of the summer transfer window.

Both clubs are in desperate need of a striker, with few available top quality ones on the market in 2023.

READ: Romano drops major Man Utd transfer hint as France star nears deal

The likes of Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane would likely cost over £100m, while Ivan Toney is no longer an option after his eight-month ban.

So the Inter forward is arguably the best option for the Premier League sides, alongside Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic.

At 25 years of age, Martinez is already a Serie A and World Cup winner, and would arrive in England with a wealth of experience.

And despite often playing as a second striker, he has proven to be a prolific goalscorer, with 25 goals in 52 appearances this season.

Pochettino wants Lautaro at Chelsea

Frank Lampard's successor at Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino, is an admirer of his compatriot.

"Lautaro Martinez is one of the best strikers in the world," he told Radio La Plata in 2020.

"It's not just for what he does now, but for what his potential means going forward. If you start looking at hitmen for the big clubs, clearly his name has to be in there."

And now that big club will be under Pochettino's control, and in need of a striker.

"With Pochettino firmly in the frame to become Graham Potter's successor, the Argentine has already given Chelsea the green light to hijack Manchester United's move for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez," report Football London.

Martinez has scored 20 goals in 35 games for Inter Milan in Serie A this season, and won the World Cup with Argentina in December.

Pochettino's countryman is valued at €81.6 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.