Obafemi Martins has scored 4 times in 13 games for Inter this season

Massimo Moratti, the president of Serie A side Inter Milan, has acknowledged that a starting place for Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins in the Italian giants' first team would not be undeserved.

'Oba' made his debut for the Milanese side in December 2002 and has since scored seven goals in twenty-three appearances for the European heavyweights.

The 19-year-old continued his fine run of goalscoring on Sunday when he struck in Inter's stunning 3-1 win over Juventus - and the Nigerian's displays have impressed the Inter president.

"Everyone said he was too young when he made his debut at 18 (and) it was nonsense," Moratti explained.

"Now he is ready to play regularly in the first team."

Martins' hopes of securing a place in the starting eleven are restricted by the presence of Italian star Christian Vieri but the Nigerian has made sure that the towering international forward is not missed on the occasions when he is absent from the first team.

Vieri missed Inter's victory over the Italian champions Juventus and was also absent when the Milan side thrashed Arsenal 3-0 in a Champions League encounter in September.

Yet Moratti has dismissed suggestions that Inter play better when Martins is on the pitch and the 30-year-old Vieri in the stands.

"That's just coincidence - it simply means that whoever has replaced him has done a good job," the Inter president said.

"Everyone knows what Martins is capable of."

Martins was Inter's top scorer in the 2003 pre-season - with six goals to his credit - and has now added another four in 13 appearances this season.