Chelsea are being linked with a potential move for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martínez, although Argentine newspaper La Nación present the claim only briefly within a wider report about the player’s current injury situation.
The Premier League club appear in the article while the outlet discusses uncertainty around the forward’s recovery and his availability for Argentina’s upcoming Finalissima clash with Spain.
According to the report, Chelsea could prepare a €100m (£85m) offer for Martínez for the 2026/27 season. However, the newspaper do not frame the claim as an active negotiation.
There is no indication Inter have received a proposal, nor that talks have started between the parties. Instead, the mention appears as background speculation while the focus of the article remains on the striker’s physical condition.
Injury context around Inter striker
Pio Esposito, and Lautaro Martinez
28 December 2025; New Balance Arena.
Martínez has been sidelined since February 18th, when he suffered a calf injury during Inter’s 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League playoffs.
Medical tests confirmed a strain in the soleus muscle of his left leg. Initially, the recovery timeline was expected to be around 18 days.
However, the situation now appears less straightforward. Although Martínez was included on the bench for Inter’s recent derby defeat to AC Milan, he never warmed up and did not enter the pitch.
According to La Nación, Inter are now projecting his return only at the beginning of April.
That timeline could also affect Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni. He hopes to have the striker available for the Finalissima against Spain on March 27.
Key figure for club and country
Despite the injury setback, Martínez remains a crucial player for both Inter and Argentina.
He currently leads the Serie A scoring charts with 14 goals. Also, he is the only player in the division to have reached double figures this season.
For Argentina, he is the second-highest scorer of the Scaloni era with 36 goals in 75 appearances. Only Lionel Messi is ahead of him.
Inter are reportedly taking a cautious approach with the captain’s recovery. Italian media suggest the club may even avoid risking him in the March 22 fixture against Fiorentina.
The priority is to have him fully fit for the latter stages of the season, including the April 4 match against Roma.
Meanwhile, the Chelsea reference remains limited to a brief mention in Argentine media, rather than a concrete transfer development at this stage.