Barcelona close in on Lautaro Martinez and Pjanic as duo ‘agree’ transfers.. with SEVEN players offered in return
BARCELONA believe that they are well placed to complete deals for Serie A duo Miralem Pjanic and Lautaro Martinez this summer, according to reports.
The pair, of Juventus and Inter Milan respectively, have long been on the LaLiga champions' radar.
And they are increasingly hopeful of being able to juggle their finances in order to swoop for both - despite uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to , both players have given an indication that they want to move to Camp Nou - and that this can be Barcelona's most valuable bargaining tool.
But given the asking prices set by both clubs for the highly-rated pair - Barca will have to be creative in how they structure the deals.
Pjanic, 30, is believed to be valued at around £52million by Juventus.
While it is believed that Inter want nothing less than Martinez's release clause paid in full - with the lowest it will drop to being £97million between July 1 and 15.
Juve manager Maurizio Sarri is thought to be content with selling Pjanic, as he sees Rodrigo Bentancur as the future of the team at the base of midfield.
But they will try and squeeze the best deal out of Barcelona that they possibly can.
They like midfielder Arthur Melo, but despite willingness from Barcelona to trade him, the Brazilian has indicated that he wants to stay at Camp Nou.
Alternatives to be included in the deal include Rafinha, Samuel Umtiti, Junior Firpo, Carles Alena and Emerson.
As for Martinez, Barcelona are satisfied that the Argentine is desperate to come and link up with compatriot Lionel Messi, while the six-time Ballon d'Or winner remains at the peak of his powers.
Agreeing a deal could be more difficult, however.
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Inter boss Antonio Conte is a big fan of midfielder Arturo Vidal having previously managed him at Juventus.
But at 32, the Chilean isn't believed to be worth much compared to that £97million Martinez release clause.
Inter's No10 has scored 16 goals this season for Conte's side, spearheading an attack alongside Romelu Lukaku that has seen them challenge for the Serie A title.