Barcelona have begun offering players to Italian giants Inter Milan in the hope of striking a part-exchange deal for the signing of Lautaro Martinez.
The Argentine forward is one of Barcelona’s top targets this summer but the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic means they are unlikely to meet his £97m buy-out clause.
Lautaro is interested in signing for Barcelona and personal terms are not expected to be an issue at all.
Talks via intermediaries have been going on for a while and Inter Milan are said to be open to the idea of players in exchange, and had asked for the opportunity to sign Brazil midfielder Arthur – but Barca declined.
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However, Inter Milan have been offered Nelson Semedo, who is said to be intersted in a move to Italy.
And the Italian side are very interested in the defender, as well as the young midfielder Carles Alena.
Alena – a La Masia academy graduate – is currently on loan at Real Betis and is said to still hold the hope that he can force his way into the team when he returns this summer window, casting doubt on Inter Milan’s ability to persuade him to leave the club.
Several members of the club’s hierarchy are said to be reluctant to sell another academy graduate, after reluctantly allowing Carles Perez join Roma last summer, initially on loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the campaign.
Barca have also offered left-back Junior Firpo to Inter Milan, having only signed him from Real Betis last summer, but Inter are not interested.
Barcelona themselves want a new left-back and are interested in another Argentine player – the Ajax player Nicolas Tagliafico, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea in the past.
