Lautaro: "Negotiations with Atlético are very advanced"
The Racing de Avellaneda striker told Clarín that he just renewed so his club would get plenty in return and that there are also other European clubs interested.
Lautaro Martínez, Racing de Avellaneda striker and Atlético Madrid target, has been negotiating his arrival at the Wanda Matrepolitano for months, conceded in an interview with Clarín recently that "talks are very advanced" and the reason for his recent renewal with the Argentinian club was to ensure they got a good return on the 20-year-old.
The striker says that "until June, I am here and I don't plan anything beyond then. If they sell me, I will speak with the club that buys me. President Blanco know what my idea is. With Atlético Madrid, talks are very advanced, but they told me there are other teams intersted. I repeat: my objective is to work daily to improve and be able to perform in the Racing jersey."
Lautaro renewed with Racing despite the offer from Atlético in order to increase his release clause, which was €9 million, but is not €12 million as confirmed by the club and his agent. The player confirms that the motivation to renew was to up his clause. "I always said that I wasn't going for the clause. At Racing, I had to leave much more than €9 million and because of this I renewed. If possible, I would like to leave even more than I signed up for now. But for me to succeed, I have to work. I don't just want to think about Sunday, but every training session. I am happy here and to play in the Copa Libertadores, it is a unresolved dream."
On the possibility of sharing the striker's position with Diego Costa, Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa, the Argentine says, "all of the big teams in Europe have players at a very high level, not just Atlético. It is a little but weird to think that I can compete for these places with some great footballers. I still have to improve a lot of things. I have to pay attention to the small details that are fundamental to be there."
Finally, Martínez discussed his reference points when it comes to other players. "I analyse all of the great strikers. I like Radamel Falcao and when I was young I followed Rodrigo Palacio who is also from Bahía Blanca. I love Darío Cvitanich and I also like to watch Ignacio Scocco for his movement, the quality he has and his calmness to decide games."
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