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Inter head coach Cristian Chivu says that Lautaro Martinez is ‘motivated’ and ‘ready to have a big season’ following transfer interest from Barcelona, and has explained why Pio Esposito is such a useful player to have in his squad: ‘He knows his position within the group and helps raise the levels’. Chivu on Inter competition, Lautaro and Esposito The Nerazzurri head coach spoke to SportMediaset on Friday ahead of his side’s upcoming Serie A clash away against Cagliari on Sunday evening. Over the last few weeks, there have been reports in Spain claiming that Barcelona are intent on bringing Inter captain Lautaro to Camp Nou, but the Nerazzurri have maintained their stance that the Argentine is a crucial and unsellable member of Chivu’s squad. “Lautaro is our captain, for the reason that he loves this shirt and this will be the ninth year for him in this squad. He’s motivated and has a lot of ambition despite the disappointment of a lost World Cup final,” Chivu told SportMediaset on Friday. “He has the right ambition, he returned from the World Cup as early as possible, he cut his holiday short and only had a few days off before coming back to work. I think he’s ready to have a big season.” Chivu was also asked about his team selection and whether he has a clear first-choice XI in his mind given that he has plenty of competition for places all over the park. After bringing in Curtis Jones from Liverpool, the Nerazzurri now have him plus Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Piotr Zielinski, Petar Sucic, Aleksander Stankovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Andy Diouf competing for three starting spots in midfield. “We don’t have fixed starters, because fixed starting positions don’t exist in football,” Chivu insisted. “We’re interested in having a competitive level, we’re interested in individuals with different characteristics who give their all to be available to the group. “Pio, for example, is important for us because he knows where he is within the group and helps to keep the levels in training high and raises the level in that department.” Asked for his thoughts on the transfer session that Inter have had this summer, Chivu said: “We’ve had a fluid transfer market and have tried to bring quality and raise the level in what was already a strong and competitive squad. We have an obligation to maintain a high level and keep hold of the good things that we’ve done over the last few years. He was unwilling to give much away when asked which players and teams will stand out in 2026-27, though. “I can’t name specific teams or individuals from other teams, but I think that Serie A has a cohort of serious individuals who raise the level of their teams and raise the level of the whole league.”