Exclusive: 'Sky's the limit for Lautaro'

By Football Italia staff

With Lautaro Martinez on the verge of joining Inter, Football Italia’s Richard Hall spoke with Argentinian football expert Sam Kelly about what to expect.

The 20-year-old has scored seven goals in 11 games for Argentina at Under-20 level and bagged seven goals with three assists in just eight Primera Division matches for Racing Club this season.

Negotiations are at an advanced stage and the Nerazzurri are expected to secure a deal worth €27m.

Sam Kelly is based in Buenos Aries and can be heard on 'The Hand Of Pod' and to can follow him (Twitter @HandOfPod).

There is a lot of excitement about Lautaro Martinez in Milan as he looks close to signing for Inter. His hat trick this weekend also has raised eyebrows but just how good is he?

Very. Jorge Sampaoli was watching from the stands on Sunday, and it's no surprise that Martinez is now being talked about for a first senior Argentina call-up next month for the friendlies against Spain and Italy. Given how little time there is until the World Cup, it's obvious what that means - and it's hard to say he'd really look out of place, even if it does seem unlikely he'd start. The list of clubs who've been tracking him in recent months says everything. The sky's the limit.

Do you think he can hit the ground running in Serie A? Often South Americans take some time to settle, do you think it's too soon?

I don't think it's a matter of being too soon - whatever age they travel at, there's always a process of adaptation to a new country, a new language, new routines and so on. If you need to get used to a new life then of course that'll affect how quickly you settle in professionally, as anyone who's moved abroad knows.

I tend to look at whether these youngsters have had to move inside Argentina before - at least that gives an indicator as to whether they've dealt with a big move at a young age before. Martinez has; he grew up in Bahía Blanca, a few hundred kilometres south of Buenos Aires, and had to move to Greater BA to join Racing four years ago, at the age of 16. So, he's had to adapt before. That should provide some hope.

After that it's down to giving him the right support and advice, I would think. Inter have had a fair few successful Argentines, so you'd hope they have the right idea with this sort of thing.

Inter will want him to cover and potentially replace Mauro Icardi at some point. Do you think he has the potential to do this?

Yes. He's got good movement, links well with teammates, and is an explosive finisher. They're from a very similar mould, in many ways.

Italian media has painted Martinez as a man who can play on either wing, as a Number 10 or as a 9. Is he really that adaptable?

Forwards like him have to adapt to different roles as they move through the youth ranks in Argentina, unless they develop freakishly young into an out-and-out goal machine in the way Serio Aguero did, so yes he is. He's definitely more of a forward than a No. 10, though.

What do you know about him off the field? Are there any stand out characteristics?

I don't really know anything about him off the pitch - which I assume is a good thing!

Do you think the price tag fair?

Yes. In the current market, it's a fair appraisal of what he can go on to do, and it's about time Argentine clubs stopped letting young players go for peanuts. Plus he just signed a contract extension last month, and there's been interest from even bigger clubs than Inter. I don't think they can reasonably claim that Racing are being daft by asking for what they're asking for.

Finally, what can you tell Inter fans about him that they won't find out from European media?

He was about the only player to come out of both the Sudamericano Sub 20 and the World Youth Cup last year with any credit (Ezequiel Barco did well in the Sudamericano as well, but didn't go to the World Cup). And that he's learned from a former Inter idol - his first team debut came as a substitute for Diego Milito.

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