Inter, the club’s directors and their captain, Lautaro Martinez, are all reportedly keen on continuing their partnership, but El Toro’s rumoured salary demands could make life difficult for the Nerazzurri. Here is all the latest on the club’s stance, the player’s requests and the idea brought forward by CEO Beppe Marotta.
Lautaro demands and current deal
As reported by Calciomercato on Tuesday evening, Lautaro Martinez is looking for a salary in excess of €10m per season. Reports earlier in the campaign suggested that Inter were prepared to offer somewhere around the €8m mark, while the player was keen on a figure closer to €10m.
The 2022 World Cup winner is currently under contract until the summer of 2026, and there is nothing to suggest that he is actively seeking a move away from the club that has just won its second star in Serie A.
The reported salary demands would send Lautaro Martinez even further up the division’s list of highest earners. While that may be deserved for the league’s highest goalscorer, it could have an impact on the deals that Inter would like to make across the rest of their squad.
Inter stance and Marotta suggestion
Inter have no intention of letting their captain leave any time soon. The player is also reportedly keen to continue in San Siro according to the latest updates.
That sentiment was reinforced by CEO Marotta in one of his latest interviews. He insisted that no Inter player has asked to leave the club ahead of the summer transfer window.
Inter have several key figures whose contracts need attention. That isn’t just limited to the playing staff, as coach Simone Inzaghi’s deal is due to expire at the end of next season. He penned an extension in September, but that was before he and his team stormed their way to the Serie A title.
Nicolo Barella is also in a comparable situation. Like Lautaro Martinez, his deal will be up in 2026, but performances in recent years suggest he could also be due some sort of renewal.
In Marotta’s recent chat with reporters at an event in Milan, he suggested that some of Inter’s top players could be offered ‘extensions’, rather than ‘renewals’.
That means that the club could offer some of their players the chance to extend their stay in San Siro, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be immediate, hefty wage increases.
He also warned: “If we keep this group of players it’s already a lot.”