Manchester United reportedly considered Lautaro Martinez over the summer and the Inter Milan captain is now a PS130 million striker in the form of his life.
At least, that is the view of Ernesto Pellegrini. The former Nerrazzuri CEO has been blown away by the Argentine's evolution into arguably the finest centre-forward in world football. Or, perhaps, the finest centre-forward not named Erling Haaland.
Not so long ago, Lautaro Martinez was a man much-maligned, squandering chance after chance at the Qatar World Cup. With 12 goals in 10 Serie A starts at the beginning of the current campaign, the captain's armband appears to have lit a fire under Martinez, Inter's new skipper relishing the responsibility and finding the net at a rate never-seen-before from a player who has always been a little, well 'streaky'.
A stunning, curling finish in the 2-1 win at Atalanta last time out kept Simone Inzaghi's side top of the table, and maintained the striker's career-best run of form.
"As a player himself, he is unique. I don't see any equal."
According to Calciomercato and the United Muppetiers YouTube channel, Manchester United considered Martinez over the summer before opting instead to break the bank on another Serie A hitman, Rasmus Hojlund.
MORE UNITED STORIES
Hojlund, however, is yet to open his Premier League account for the Red Devils. Even if that says more about the form of United's wingers and fellow forwards than it does a centre-forward starved of quality service.
In form striker Lautaro Martinez has struck up a fine understanding with Marcus Thuram - another player who was on United's radar over the summer - and looks destined to shatter his personal Serie A record of 21 league goals.
Martinez even scored four in just 27 minutes off the bench against Salernitana in September. His very own Ole Gunnar Solskjaer vs Nottingham Forest moment.