Following Inter Milan’s dismal exit from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Brazilian side Fluminense, skipper Lautaro Martinez urged Hakan Calhanoglu to leave the Italian club and now, the Turkish midfielder has responded.
It’s all gone downhill for Nerazzurri since Simone Inzaghi left for Al-Hilal, who secured passage into the next round of the showpiece with a stunning 4-3 win over Manchester City and this summer is now being earmarked as an important one.
They lost the Champions League 5-0 to champions Paris Saint-Germain; Serie A success was taken from their grasp by Scott McTominay-led Napoli on the last day of the 2024/25 season and now, they have exited the competition at the Round of 16 stage.
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Martinez Launches Scathing Attack After CWC Exit
Inter president confirms that Calhanoglu was targeted
Calhanoglu, who spent the infancy of his career in Germany, picked up an injury in the aforementioned final against PSG and, although he travelled with the rest of his teammates to the United States, he didn’t play a single game before they were kicked out.
And, in the wake of their premature Club World Cup exit, Martinez launched an attack on his teammates. “The message is clear: whoever wants to stay, stay. Whoever doesn’t want to stay must go,” the Argentina talisman, 27, said per GOAL.
“We are fighting for an important shirt, and we have to fight for important goals… I won’t name names. We are here to do everything, but I saw many things I didn’t like. So, as captain, as group leader, then there is the coach first, but I have to say it because that’s who I am. I’m on one side or the other: I want to fight for the goals because we are a great team, we have returned to the top and I want to continue.”
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Inter Milan president Beppe Marotta later confessed that Martinez was referencing Calhanoglu. “I interpret [Martinez’s] words positively, Lautaro as captain has highlighted some suppositions and some truths. One thing I always say, if a player wants to leave, it’s right that he goes.”
“There is no one who has concretely expressed this intention, he was perhaps referring to Calhangolu but it is part of the end-of-season dynamics that we have always faced calmly.”
“We will talk to Calhanoglu, and we will deal with it in the best way for the interests of Inter and his team,” the Inter chief said. “This call from Lautaro is shared by the club, this must be the winning spirit that can take us far. Calhangolu’s drop in interest? No, we must thank him for what he has done.”
Calhangolu Responds to Martinez’s Recent Jibe
‘Words that hit hard. Words that divide, not unite’
As things stand, Calhanoglu – formerly of Inter’s rivals, AC Milan – has two years left on his current Inter contract and amid the controversy, he posted a statement on Instagram to explain his side of the story. Hitting back at Martinez, he wrote:
“Yesterday we lost, and it hurt. I felt sadness, not just as a player, but as someone who truly cares. Even though I’m currently injured, I picked up the phone right after the match and called a few teammates to lift their spirits, because that’s what you do when you care about your team.”
“What surprised me even more were the words that came after,” he said, referencing Martinez’s sbtle, yet stinging, remarks. “Words that hit hard. Words that divide, not united. In my career, I’ve never looked for excuses. I’ve always taken responsibility.”
“I’ve played even through pain, I’ve led, especially in difficult moments, not with words, but with actions. I respect every opinion, even from a teammate, even from the club President, but respect is not a one-way street.”
“I’ve always shown respect on and off the pitch, and I believe that in football, as in life, true strength lies in showing respect, especially when emotions are running high. I’ve never betrayed this club, I’ve never said I’m not happy at Inter. There were offers in the past, tempting ones. But I stayed because deep down, I know what this shirt means to me, and I believe my actions spoke clearly.”
“I’ve had the honour of wearing the captain’s armband for my country, and I’ve learned that leadership means standing by your team. Not pointing fingers when it’s easiest,” he concluded.
Reportedly, Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United are among those interested in the Germany-born 31-year-old, who is widely regarded as one of the best free-kick takers in world football. The Red Devils are looking for a Christian Eriksen replacement.
