In a recent discourse with TV Play via Calciomercato.com, Gianluca Petrachi, the former sporting director of Torino, disclosed that Lautaro Martinez, the esteemed star of Inter, was on the brink of transferring to Turin at one point in time.
Martinez ascended as a prominent figure during his tenure with Racing Club, amassing 27 goals in 62 matches. His burgeoning talent garnered interest from various European clubs, including Atletico Madrid, prior to his eventual acquisition by the Nerazzurri in July 2018.
Over the course of his six-year stint with Inter, Martinez has evolved into one of the premier strikers in global football. In the current season, he has played a pivotal role in Inter’s pursuit of the Scudetto, netting 22 goals in 23 league appearances and showcasing his prowess as a formidable leader on the field.
Petrachi, reflecting on Torino’s endeavors to secure Martinez’s services, highlighted the club’s pursuit of the player before his eventual transfer to Inter in July 2018.
“We had negotiated for him when I was at Torino, for an agreement of around €7m with Racing. He had Zarate’s brother, a former Lazio player, as his agent, and they were pushing for €3m in fees, something we never paid anyone at Toro.
“The agent knew he had a jewel in his hands and therefore played his own game by asking for a lot of money. It was a shame not to be able to get him, but I tried to.”
Lautaro is presently engaged in negotiations for a fresh contract with Inter, with an assessed market valuation surpassing €100 million.