Joan Laporta has revealed that he tried relentlessly to bring Lautaro Martínez to Barcelona during the final stretch of the transfer window, only to be met with a categorical refusal from Inter. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, the Barça president said he “wanted Lautaro at all costs,” describing the striker as an extraordinary player the club was determined not to miss. Laporta personally contacted Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta, who immediately shut down the possibility, insisting the captain was not for sale.

Laporta added that, regardless of the player’s wishes, Inter were fully committed to keeping him, prompting Barcelona to step back out of respect for Marotta. He also praised Hansi Flick’s impressive start to the season, noting that Barcelona have “returned to frightening the world,” while stressing the need for internal humility. The revelation highlights how close—and ultimately how impossible—the Lautaro pursuit proved for the Catalan club.