Barcelona President Joan Laporta says he spoke directly with Beppe Marotta about a potential Lautaro Martinez transfer, but the Inter President ‘didn’t even let me finish speaking.’

Barcelona tried to sign Inter star Lautaro Martinez during the summer transfer window, but the Nerazzurri refused to sell their captain.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – JULY 25: FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta faces the media during the unveiled of Hansi Flick as new FC Barcelona Coach at Spotify Camp Nou on July 25, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

During an interview with Corriere della Sera , Laporta explained exactly how talks with the Nerazzurri unfolded this past August.

“I’ll tell you what happened. One day I called Marotta. He and I, no intermediaries. I told him I would have loved to have Lautaro on my team because I admire the guy so much,” Laporta said.

“But he didn’t even let me finish speaking. He made it clear the player wasn’t for sale and that it wouldn’t be up to him to decide whether or not to move. So I stopped the whole line of thought; there was no way to take it any further. Marotta and I have a relationship based on mutual trust. We didn’t go any further out of respect for him and for Inter.”

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 19: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico on September 19, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Laporta also answered a couple of questions about Como coach Fabregas, a product of the Barcelona academy and an ex first-team player at the Camp Nou.