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Invalid Email Lionel Messi has hailed (Barcelona’s) No.1 summer striker target, Lautaro Martinez, labeling him “spectacular”.
The Catalan giants completed the £ million signature of Martin Braithwaite on Thursday, paying the 28 year-old’s release clause to snare him from Leganes, after being given special dispensation by La Liga following the injury to Ousmane Dembele.
But the Danish international, formerly of Middlesbrough, is seen as little more of a stop gap before Los Cules make a concerted push to land a long-term replacement for Luis Suarez this summer.
Suarez, also currently sidelined, has scored goals in 33 games this term, but at the age of is heading towards the final 22 months of his contract.
Club chiefs have been searching for looking for who can step up and take over from the Uruguayan, as they prepare for life after their current No. 9.
And Inter Milan hitman Martinez, , is top of their list, according to multiple reports in Spain and despite his £ million release clause.
Martinez has been hugely impressive in Italy (Image: SIPA USA / PA Images)
Martinez has scored 28 times for Inter this term with the Nerazzurri mounting a Scudetto challenge under Antonio Conte, with the Argentine impressing in attack alongside Romelu Lukaku.
He has has also been monitored by Manchester United.
At the weekend, Inter CEO Beppe Marotta was asked about Martinez’s future and declared: “Lautaro is improving, he is a very young lad who I think is above all eager to wear this glorious jersey and grow professionally.
“As I always say, players only leave Inter when they point towards that exit.”
Messi and Martinez celebrate at last year Copa America (Image: Getty Images)
Messi is more than aware of Martinez’s talents, with the younger man having broken into the national side under Lionel Scaloni.
And speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Mundo Deportivo, the Barcelona skipper declared: ” He is spectacular.
“He was seen to be a great player, now he exploded and is showing it. He is very strong. He has a very good one against one, he has a lot of goals, in the area he fights with anyone.
“Lautaro has a lot of quality . He is very complete. Lautaro has much resemblance to Luis. “
Messi, who has made no secret of his desire for Neymar to return to Camp Nou. , also offered up further thoughts on his ex-teammate.
Messi and Neymar during their time together at Barcelona (Image: AFP / Getty Images)
“I say it many times, at the sports level, Ney is one of the best in the world and I would love for him to return,” he added.
“He was really looking forward to coming back, he always seemed sorry [after leaving]. He did a lot to return and that would be the first step to try to arrive. “
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He also insists he holds no anger towards the Brazilian over his departure.
“It is normal for people to see him that way because of the way he left, it also bothered me at the time, we tried to convince him not to,” Messi said.
“But in the end, we all want to win and have the best. We and the people. As I said before, he is one of the best and contributed for us a lot on the pitch.
“But it is understandable that people think like that, since he left in a way they did not like.”
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