Lionel Scaloni: 'Whole World' Wants Lautaro Martinez Amid Barcelona Rumours

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has talked up the interest in Inter star Lautaro Martinez, saying the "whole world" wants to sign him amid persistent links to Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Scaloni spoke to AS (h/t Football Italia) about the future of the young forward: "Lautaro Martinez is the player, after Kylian Mbappe, who the whole world wants to sign for his age and quality. However, he plays for a big club already and it won’t be easy to prise him away from Inter."

Per the report, both Barcelona and Real are keeping a close eye on the 22-year-old, who has a €111 release clause in his contract. Manchester United have also been linked with the Argentinian, but per ESPN FC's Mark Ogden, he has no interest in joining the Red Devils:

Per the Times' Paul Hirst, the Premier League giants don't want to pay his full release clause:

Barcelona have been linked with the forward the most, identifying him as an ideal long-term replacement for Luis Suarez. Like the Uruguayan, Martinez excels at linking the play and creating space for his team-mates, as well as scoring goals himself.

He has bagged 11 goals in Serie A already this season and also netted five times in six UEFA Champions League outings—one of those goals came at the Camp Nou:

Martinez has struck a fine partnership with Romelu Lukaku, and the two have fired Inter into their first real Serie A title challenge in years. They're currently tied on points with eight-time defending champions Juventus.

The Nerazzurri are unlikely to sell their prized forward for anything less than the clause in his contract, although they do have a potential replacement already in the squad. Star prospect Sebastiano Esposito is regarded as one of the best talents in Italy, and the 17-year-old has already scored his first Serie A goal.

The Italian isn't ready for a full-time role yet, but he is expected to push for a starting role in the near future. That could open the door for a Martinez exit, although he will still come at a massive cost.