Inter forward Lautaro Martinez urged to join Barcelona

Martinez has scored 11 goals in 22 Serie A appearances this season.

Various reports suggest Barcelona are 'very close' to Lautaro Martinez transfer with £56.9m.

Lautaro transfer to Barca continues to make the headlines. [Getty]

Diego Cocca has told Inter striker Lautaro Martinez to join LaLiga club Barcelona.

The 22-year-old has been constantly linked with a move to the Nou Camp since COVID-19 brought football to a halt, and it is believed the Blaugranas see the Argentine as a long-term replacement for striker Luis Suarez, who is contracted with Los Cules until 2021.

Rosario Central coach Cocca reckons the Nerazzurri star Martinez should jump on that chance of playing alongside football great Lionel Messi.

While speaking to Sport, Cocca also reflected on the attributes Martinez, who has scored 11 goals in 22 Serie A appearances this season, had when he was much younger.

He said: "I was surprised. The level of maturity, he was a professional player, he interpreted, he understood, he wanted to see pictures, to work on his weaker foot, to work on everything that made things complicated for him.

"Most boys at that age try to hide their flaws, and he just wanted to improve. There, we started to glimpse that he was going to do something very important.

More: 'Great Player Lautaro Martinez' Will Thrive At Barca.

"Knowing Lautaro, he's a boy who likes challenges and surely that's what going to Barcelona would be for him.

"I tell you what I think: logically, Lautaro is the protagonist and he has the last word. He's clearly at a very important team like Inter, but it doesn't happen every day that Barca come looking for you and he can play with the best footballer in history, outside of the national team, and share all these days with him.

"There is no way I would pass that up."

Reports claim Barca are looking to sell Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Samuel Umtiti to finance the deal for Martinez or they might add one or two of those players as part of their offer to the Serie giants.

More: Man Utd can’t afford to have another season of the Pogba circus.

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