Chelsea decided not to pursue a deal for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez during the summer transfer window.
According to Football London, Martinez was not even a subject of discussion for the Blues. Chelsea have become cautious about making big-money signings after their experience with the Romelu Lukaku deal in 2021 and didn’t want to make a similar costly mistake.
Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku for £97.5 million in the summer of 2021, but the Belgian star’s performance at the club didn’t meet expectations, and he is currently on loan at AS Roma.
There have been reports linking the Blues to Martinez from Inter Milan, but the transfer fee is said to be around £129 million.
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Given Lukaku’s struggles upon his return to Chelsea, the club may consider exploring other options and refrain from making another significant investment in a striker who hasn’t proven himself in English football.
Lukaku has not been able to replicate his previous goal-scoring success in England after his successful stint in Italy with Inter.
In contrast, Martinez has been consistently prolific in Serie A for Inter Milan and has been entrusted with the captain’s armband at the club.
However, during the 2022 World Cup, he displayed signs of vulnerability, and Julian Alvarez took over as Lionel Scaloni’s preferred striker for the Argentina national team.
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Chelsea have faced difficulties in finding a consistent goal-scorer since Diego Costa’s departure. Nicolas Jackson has attempted to step into that role but has struggled to deliver the desired results, showing a lack of quality in his finishing.
Mauricio Pochettino has also had challenges in getting the best out of the other forwards in the team.
The potential impact of Christopher Nkunku’s return to Chelsea is uncertain, as the Frenchman is still several months away from regaining full fitness.
