‘We stopped’ – Joan Laporta reveals why Barcelona failed in summer transfer pursuit of Inter captain Lautaro Martinez

Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Laporta explained how the transfer broke down. He praised the Argentina international before admitting defeat in the face of Marotta’s firm stance.

“He’s an incredible player; we didn’t want to let him slip away at any cost,” Laporta said. “So I rang President Marotta and he told me the player wasn’t for sale.”

While Laporta suggested that Martinez was open to joining Barcelona, he acknowledged that the player’s wishes could not force a transfer against the club’s will.

“Inter told us ‘no’ and so we told them that, in any case, it wouldn’t be the player who decided whether or not to leave, because Inter wanted to keep him,” he added. “So, out of respect for Beppe Marotta, whom I respect enormously, we stopped and that was the end of it.”