Marotta: Inter remain competitive, dismisses Lautaro Martinez to Barcelona talk
Quick summary
Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta has reaffirmed the club's competitive ambitions and dismissed speculation linking striker Lautaro Martinez with a move to Barcelona.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceInter President Beppe Marotta assures Barcelona interest in Lautaro Martinez ‘isn’t even worth talking about,’ while the England internationals bring ‘experience and mentality.’
The opening fixture with Monza kicks off at San Siro at 17.30 UK time (18.30 CEST).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.
The Nerazzurri dominated Italian football last season, winning both the Scudetto and Coppa Italia relatively comfortably, but in turn had a shorter run than usual in the Champions League.
Marotta keeps raising the Inter bar PISA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 30: Giuseppe Marotta of FC Internazionale looks on prior to the Serie A match between Pisa SC and FC Internazionale at Arena Garibaldi on November 30, 2025 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) “We know that we must always keep raising the bar, aware that as reigning Champions of Italy, every opponent will face us with even more determination than before,” Marotta told DAZN Italia.
“We begin the new season with the same ambition and objectives, and reinforcing that culture of victory that has stood us apart in recent years.”
It was a remarkable achievement in Cristian Chivu’s first full campaign as a senior coach, but he is now building for the future with new arrivals including Djed Spence, Curtis Jones and John Stones.
Of the three England internationals, only the former Manchester City defender is on the bench today.
Inter teammates celebrate as John Stones scores the winner in a friendly against Real Betis (@inter) “We built this team several years ago with the aim of lasting for a long time, so we didn’t need big changes. This summer, we had to acknowledge the passage of time and sadly release some players who had been here for some years,” added Marotta.
“We added some professionals who in their totality won around 30 trophies. This confirms our objectives and motivation, because along with ability, that experience and mentality are also fundamental elements in modern football.”
Lautaro Martinez has been heavily linked with a potential €100m swoop by Barcelona over the last few days, but even the Spanish media are starting to realise it’s entirely implausible.
“First of all, Lautaro Martinez is our captain and represents the current history of Inter. So all I can say is that there simply aren’t the conditions in place for him to leave Inter,” replied Marotta.
“We have absolutely no intention of letting him go, in any way, shape or form. It’s not even worth talking about.”
Could there be any more new arrivals before the transfer deadline?
“We are keeping an eye on potential opportunities in the final phase of the transfer market, co-ordinated with the coach, and thanks also to the generosity of our owners. If there was the need to invest further, that would be possible, although it is already a very competitive squad,” concluded the Inter President.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta addressed the media to address two key topics: the club's competitive standing and persistent transfer speculation surrounding captain Lautaro Martinez. Marotta insisted Inter remain a competitive force despite ongoing financial constraints, framing the club's project as stable and forward-looking. On the Lautaro-to-Barcelona rumours, Marotta firmly rejected the discussion, suggesting the story does not warrant serious consideration. The comments aim to project confidence to fans and stabilize the squad narrative amid a turbulent period for the Nerazzurri.
Chance analysis
Marotta's dual message serves a clear purpose: reassure the Inter fanbase that the club is not entering a period of decline, while simultaneously closing the door on one of the more persistent transfer sagas of recent windows. Lautaro Martinez has long been linked with a move to Barcelona, but the Inter CEO's flat dismissal suggests the club has no intention of entertaining negotiations. For Inter supporters, the takeaway is that the Argentine striker — central to the team's attacking identity — is expected to remain at the San Siro. The competitive framing also signals that Inter view themselves as contenders rather than sellers heading into the next phase of the season.
Lautaro Martinez is expected to stay at Inter, reinforcing their attacking core and easing uncertainty around squad continuity.