Racing Club president Victor Blanco has revealed how Real Madrid came close to signing Lautaro Martinez.

The Argentina striker, currently a star with Inter Milan, is now a target for Barcelona.

But Blanco revealed to Mundo Deportivo: "It serves to paint perfectly what this boy is like. When he was in the youth team and he was 18 years old, Lautaro said no to Madrid.

"They came looking for him from Real Madrid and offered a loan with a significant purchase option. However, he rejected that possibility because he wanted to succeed in Racing before going abroad. And he stayed. He was very clear about his goals.

"They were determined to take him away to finish training him in their youth system. It is evident that they noticed his qualities. The money was not little and Racing was left with an interesting percentage of a future transfer. But he knew very well what he wanted."