Lautaro Martinez: How did Inter star emerge from Argentina’s 'windy' basketball town?

Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after talents in world football. Hailing from the same South American nation as Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, the 22-year-old has shown more than just some talent for scoring goals and his reading of the game that can easily rival that of a well-established player. However, there is one aspect to his game that has Catalan giants Barcelona chasing for his signature - His aerial ability.

Despite packing a modest 5 foot 8 inches frame, Lautaro Martinez has been impressive with his ability to out-leap players and meet the ball with panache. Playing as the second striker in Antonio Conte's famed 3-5-2 system, Martinez has frequently been the outlet for crosses from Ashley Young and Antonio Candreva. And this is all while playing alongside a much larger 6 foot 3 inches tall Romelu Lukaku. 

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Lautaro Martinez drawing inspiration from NBA greats like Manu Ginobili

Lautaro Martinez hails from Bahia Blanca, Argentina’s Windy City. As the name suggests, the gusts blowing from the coast are so strong that most sports end up making a home indoors. This is the reason it is also referred to as Argentina's basketball town. Also, Bahia Blanca is the home to San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginobili. Ginobili, 43, played 16 seasons in the NBA between 2002 and 2018, collecting four NBA rings and an NBA Sixth Man of the Year award along the way.  

Argentina’s national basketball team coach Sergio Hernandez also hails from Windy City and so does Lautaro’s younger brother Jano (obviously), who plays hoops for Villa Mitre Warriors. Diego Huerta, Racing Club (Lautaro's former club) secretary, explained to The Athletic, "Many footballers from Bahia Blanca are good in the air. Alfio Basile, he was a coach of Argentina, a centre-back at Racing and a world champion. Basile was very strong in the air. You probably know his nickname ‘Coco’. He got that for his heading. In Argentina, we call you ‘Coco’ if you’ve got a big head.” A Racing Club legend, Alfio Basile was an influential figure in the side that beat Scottish club Celtic in the Intercontinental Cup in 1967.

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Inter Milan had to fend off a stern challenge from a host of clubs to secure the signature of Lautaro Martinez in 2018. After being excruciatingly close to playing under compatriot Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan got their man in a reported €22.7 million deal. Following a relatively slow start to life in Italy in his debut campaign (9 goals in 35 games), the 22-year-old burst into the scene under Conte, forming a potent partnership with Lukaku. Martinez scored 14 goals in 35 Serie A matches, as Inter finished a point behind Scudetto winners Juventus. 

While the table suggests a close battle for the top spot, it was more Juventus' poor form at the death that allowed Inter to close in on the leaders. Nevertheless, the progress Inter Milan made under Conte in his first season suggests, the fallen giants do have the potential to dismantle Juve's dominance at the top. Whether it would be Lautaro leading Inter's attack, it remains to be seen. 

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Lautaro Martinez's good form has unsurprisingly attracted suitors. As mentioned above, Barcelona are frequently linked to the player, who has been earmarked as an heir to Luis Suarez at the Nou Camp. The Catalan side is bracing for a summer of change and Martinez could possibly be lured to the club with Suarez heading towards an exit. The Argentine will likely command a fee north of €100 million (his release clause stands at €111 million), which shouldn't be a sticking point for any club seriously interested in the player. 

If not Spain, Martinez could even head to England to replace his compatriot Sergio Aguero at Manchester City. While it won't be a priority signing for Pep Guardiola, given the recent failure in the Champions League and the financial muscle of Man City, Guardiola might just be enticed into invest in a longtime replacement for the ageing Aguero. 

Also Read | Inter Milan Reject Barcelona's Offer For Lautaro Martinez, Demand Release Clause Payment

(Image Credits: AP)