Laporta confirms Barcelona's move for Lautaro Martínez and Inter's refusal

Joan Laporta has confirmed that Barcelona approached Inter Milan in late August to sign Lautaro Martínez. Speaking during the 33rd European Football Clubs Assembly in Copenhagen, the Barcelona president explained that the club explored the move after realizing that a deal for Julián Álvarez, who stayed at Atlético Madrid, would not be possible. The plan was to strengthen the forward line with a proven goalscorer, but Inter's response ended any chance of a deal before it could develop.

• Barcelona contacted Inter Milan in late August about signing Lautaro Martínez.
• The approach came after the club ruled out a move for Julián Álvarez, who remained at Atlético Madrid.
• Beppe Marotta rejected the proposal immediately and left no room for negotiation.
• Laporta chose not to push further out of respect for Inter and his relationship with Marotta.
• The Barcelona president also discussed Cesc Fàbregas and the club's ambitions in the Champions League.

How Laporta's direct call to Marotta ended the Lautaro pursuit

The Barcelona president described in detail how the approach unfolded. According to his account, it was a direct conversation between him and Beppe Marotta, Inter's president and chief executive, with no intermediaries involved. Laporta told Marotta how much he admired Lautaro and expressed his desire to bring the striker to Barcelona, but he never got to finish making his case. Marotta made it clear that the player was not for sale and that any decision about his future belonged exclusively to Inter.

I told him I would be delighted to have Lautaro in my team and that I admired the boy a lot. But he did not even let me finish talking.

Laporta said that after that first exchange, all talks were put aside. The trust he shares with Marotta carried more weight than any attempt to pressure Inter into negotiating. Barcelona understood there was no way forward and pulled out of the operation before it could turn into a dispute between the two clubs. That decision, the president explained, came down to institutional and personal respect for the Italian executive.

Lautaro was the fallback option after Julián Álvarez stayed at Atlético

Barcelona's interest in Lautaro Martínez was not an isolated idea in the final days of the transfer window. The club wanted a top-level striker, and the Argentine international fitted the profile the sporting department was looking for. When a move for Julián Álvarez proved impossible, the Lautaro option came back into focus. Barcelona had explored that possibility before and returned with a direct call to Inter in late August.

Laporta described the striker as an incredible player and admitted the club did not want to miss out on him. But Inter's firm stance turned that ambition into an impossible deal. The forward is under contract in Milan and remains a central figure in the Italian club's project, which meant any move would have required not only a huge financial commitment but also a clear willingness from Inter to negotiate. That willingness never existed.

What Laporta said about Cesc Fàbregas and the Barcelona bench

During the same meeting with Italian and Portuguese media, Laporta also spoke about Cesc Fàbregas, the current Como head coach and Barcelona's upcoming Champions League opponent. The president acknowledged that the club is closely following the career of the former midfielder, who came through La Masia and has a strong emotional bond with the institution. Como will visit the Camp Nou on January 27, 2026, a match that will bring Fàbregas back to the place he has always considered home.

Despite that interest, Laporta made it clear that Barcelona's bench already has an undisputed leader. Hansi Flick is above any debate about the future, and his work has returned the club to the top tier of European football. The president noted that Fàbregas understands Barcelona's mentality better than almost anyone and that his approach to football fits the club, but he stressed that the German coach has convinced everyone and that the only priority right now is competing for every trophy.

Laporta's Champions League dream and the new Camp Nou project

Laporta made no secret of his desire to win the Champions League again. The Barcelona president, who has already lifted several trophies with the club, said that conquering Europe once more is his biggest sporting dream. Flick's arrival has restored confidence around the club and placed the team among the leading candidates for the continental title. Even so, he opted for caution and repeated the message he has maintained for months: no overconfidence and a fight for everything.

The other major goal he mentioned concerns the club's future beyond the pitch. He wants to see the new stadium finished, a project he considers essential for what lies ahead. The Camp Nou redevelopment is one of the defining bets of his presidency, and Laporta links it directly to Barcelona's sporting and economic ambition. Both goals, the Champions League and the stadium, capture the roadmap the president is pursuing.

Frequently asked questions about Barcelona's move for Lautaro Martínez