Inter Milan vice-president Zanetti: Lautaro was 90% an Atletico Madrid player

Inter Milan vice-president Javier Zanetti admits they had to fight hard to sign Lautaro Martinez.

Zanetti says Lautaro was a step away from signing for Atletico Madrid six years ago.

He recalled to BSMT: When we signed Lautaro, he was 90% of the way to joining Atletico.

I knew from one of the agents involved.

I talked to [Inter Sporting Director Piero] Ausilio, and he told me that it's a shame, because he's been a long-time target.

Then a friend of mine gave me a call after a couple weeks, and asked if he could talk with us. We sealed the deal with Lautaro in two nights. And then we had to get an agreement with Racing.

I had a great relationship with them because [former Inter striker Diego] Milito was there. I told him that Ausilio would be there to close the deal, and they waited for him. Ausilio wrapped up the deal in Argentina," Zanetti continued. And we'd already reached an agreement with Lautaro.

He was twenty years old at the time. We were already thinking about the future, three or four years ahead, not right away."

Zanetti also said, I remember a match of his where he scored a hat-trick. And even at twenty years old, he said that he was happy with the three goals but not with his performance.

Because he felt that he hadn't played well.

We already saw the Lautaro of today, a player who grows year on year.

He's a point of reference for us and we're very happy with him.

He said of Martinez that He's a humble guy. He listens. He wants to improve, and then the results follow from that."