Is 'The Next Aguero' Lautaro Martinez capable of emulating his compatriot?

Lautaro Martinez wasn't considered a first team regular during his debut campaign with Inter following his arrival from Racing Club. The striker saw his profile rise in his native Argentina as he scored 13 goals and provided four assists in his final domestic campaign prior to his move to Italy. 

Given his inexperience in Europe, it was wise to ease him into action with the Serie A powerhouse with 14 of his 27 appearances coming off the bench. Playing second fiddle to Mauro Icardi is no reason to be too disheartened - the striker is still considered one of the most prolific frontmen in the game after all - yet fans craved more Martinez with each passing week. 

Icardi's strained relationship with the club last season ultimately came to a head over the summer with Antonio Conte willing to sanction the Argentine's move to PSG on the back of the capture of Romelu Lukaku. That exit saw Martinez promoted to first choice frontman for Conte's side, alongside Lukaku, having started 20 of 25 league matches this season prior to football's suspension due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

In that time, the 22-year-old has 11 goals and one assist to his name, an increase on his six goals and two assists the previous Serie A campaign, yet a modest return for an Inter outfit that has netted the fifth most league goals (49) this season. Nevertheless, Martinez's good form has prompted speculation linking him with a high profile summer switch to Barcelona, who are eager to secure a long-term Luis Suarez replacement. 

While the Argentine's ball retention qualities may leave little to the imagination - a pass success rate of 59.5% is the lowest of all outfielders in Serie A this season - that is unlikely to deter Barcelona in their puruit of the striker. Another option for Martinez, of course, is to secure a switch to the Premier League, and specifically Manchester City. Like Barcelona, City are going to be needing to replace their number one frontman Sergio Aguero sooner rather than later, with their record goalscorer now the wrong side of 30. 

And who better to succeed Aguero at the Etihad than a player who has been dubbed the heir to the goalscoring machine. "Lautaro could well be the new Sergio Aguero," attacking icon Hernan Crespo stated earlier this month, yet is the comparison justifiable? Both have that bulldog approach in the final third that Argentine strikers have previously been renowned for, a trait best summarised in the approach of Boca hero and former City frontman Carlos Tevez. 

Aguero and Martinez both show a willingness to harry opponents to unsettle defenders in their push for goal, with the latter showing the same drive the former exhibited in his early days with Manchester City. Aguero's age means he uses his energy better to focus his efforts on scoring, so this work off the ball has lessened over the years, and you only have to look at his early City days to see how hard he worked to disrupt the opposition's rhythm. 

Indeed, as Aguero averages just 0.4 tackles per 90 in the Premier League this season, his best return in a top-flight campaign came in 2012/13, where he was making 1.2 tackles per 90. Even as recently as 2018, Aguero was more than willing to get stuck in as his 1.5 tackles per 90 at Russia 2018 indicates. In that aforementioned Premier League season, alongside Aguero's 1.2 tackles per 90, he was also committing 1.2 fouls per 90 as he sought to limit opponents by hook or by crook. 

Conversely, this all action approach hindered his goal output, with 12 goals and two assists his lowest return in a Premier League season and was perhaps the reason why he instead focused his efforts on getting into better goalscoring positions to maximise his immense ability to hit the back of the net rather work tirelessly off the ball. 

Then 24 years of age, the relatively inexperienced Aguero was perhaps boosted by his youthful exuberance in 2012/13 before his decision to really nail his colours to the mast and look to become an out-and-out goalscorer rather than an all-action forward. And it's a choice Martinez may have to make in the foreseeable future if he is to live up to his immense potential. 

By comparison to Aguero, Martinez is making 0.9 tackles per 90 in Serie A this season and committing two fouls per 90, the latter stat of which has seen him develop a statistically calculated WhoScored style of play of 'commits fouls often'. It's a style that has landed Martinez in hot water more than once in Serie A this season having been booked six times and sent off once, but if you were to rob the striker of this trait to his game, then the youngster would be nowhere near as effective. 

That being said, for a striker of his obvious talent, 11 goals is a farely sub-par return and mirrors Aguero's 2012/13 Premier League campaign. If Martinez does elect to follow the same path as Aguero and lessen his work off the ball to improve his work on it, then there is no reason why the former can't live up to Crespo's comments and become the next Aguero. 

The signs are there that, at least on the ball in the final third, Martinez is going some way to replicating Aguero's shooting ability. Both players are averaging 4.6 shots per 90 in their respective leagues this season, while Martinez (39.5%) has a marginally better shot accuracy than Aguero (37.5%) and a tad more composure in and around the box would see the former (12.8%) close in on the latter's (22.2%) respectable conversion rate. 

At his age, Martinez has plenty of time to scuplt his game accordingly as Aguero did so well seven years ago to become the Premier League's record overseas goalscorer having hit the back of the net 180 times since his move to City in 2011. Martinez has the tricks of the trade to replicate that return, be it in Italy, Spain or England, provided he can avoid the same injury issues that have hindered Aguero in the past and, importantly, adapt his game to become a natural goalscoring the same vein as his compatriot rather than an all-round forward.