MANCHESTER CITY will step up their efforts to sign a striker with Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez their number one target.
Pep Guardiola is desperate to sign a long-term replacement for Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane has been his first choice.
Manchester City are ready to make a move for inter star Lautaro Martinez Credit: Friedemann Vogel
But City know it would be impossible to land the Spurs and England striker this year so they are now focusing on Martinez, 22, who featured in the Europa League final defeat Inter against Sevilla.
Martinez has scored 20 times this season.
He has a release clause of £81million which City will be able to match although they are keen to offload some players to help fund more buying.
Barcelona have also been keen on bringing the hotshot to the Nou Camp.
But they admitted defeat in their pursuit of the ace earlier this week.
Inter signed Martinez from Racing Club in Argentina for £20m two years ago and has represented Argentina on 17 occasions, scoring nine times – including a hat-trick against Mexico last September.
The Nerazzuri are keen for him to remain at the club but Guardiola, who has signed defender Nathan Ake from Bournemouth for £41million, wants to buy both a new central striker and a No10.
Top striker Aguero has one more year left on his current deal.
And he is set to return back to Argentina to play although City are offering 12 more months.
Aguero has starred for City since his move from Atletico Madrid in 2011, becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with 180 goals.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
