Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi Barcelona

Lionel Messi is without a doubt one of the top footballers the world has ever seen and most players will do almost anything to get a chance to play beside him.

And now it seems like Inter Milan centre-forward Lautaro Martinez wants to join FC Barcelona in the summer for this exact same reason.

Just recently, Argentinian legend Mario Kempes had suggested the 22-year-old should join the Catalans in the summer so that he can play alongside the little magician.

“Inter is a great club, known throughout the world, but Barcelona is totally different. The train only passes once in your life,” he was quoted as saying.

“Playing with Lionel Messi would be fantastic for him. But if he stays at Inter, that could also be good for him to keep gaining experience. For a few years now, he has shown he is a great number 9. He showed it at Inter and with Argentina.”

And now adding more fuel to the fire, one of the player’s representatives Sergio Zarate has hinted that Lautaro Martinez could agree to join Barcelona due to the Lionel Messi factor.

He told Fox Sports, according to AS: “There is a very big possibility. He’s a brilliant player – a tremendous player, there is no limit for him. He wants to be with Messi.

“However much Inter might want to keep him, it’s the market that decides. As always, and these big clubs in Europe, when they want a player, they go all out to get him. Loyalty doesn’t come into it.

Lautaro Martinez Inter Milan
Lautaro Martinez Inter Milan

“They’re the ones who are in charge; but at the end of the day, it’s the player who might have the final say.

“Anyway, while Leo is there [at Barcelona], and think there is more of a chance that he will want to play alongside one of the greatest players there has ever been.”

This bit of news will be a huge blow for Chelsea manager Frank Lampard who has been eyeing a move for Lautaro Martinez for several months now.

Chelsea are set to lose Olivier Giroud on a free transfer in the summer meaning Tammy Abraham will be the only in-form striker left at Stamford Bridge. And in such a scenario, the Inter Milan man would have been the perfect addition to the Blues squad.

But now it seems the player has made up his mind to play beside Lionel Messi at Barcelona and there’s not much Chelsea can do to change his mind right now.

The Blues have the money to spare on such a massive transfer as they have not been able to sign any new players over the past year but unfortunately, the only thing that can force Martinez to have second thoughts is an absolutely enormous salary package but we don’t think Lampard will agree to that as since the last thing he would want is to disrupt the dressing room with uneven wages.

Read: Chelsea could see this 22 Y/O forward head to the La Liga in the summer.

Read: Chelsea might have found a replacement to Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Read: Chelsea & Spurs receive a massive boost in signing this 21 Y/O full-back.

Read: Here’s why Lampard cannot replicate the Liverpool & Man City blueprints at Chelsea.