Inter Milan captain Mauro Icardi has been put up for sale by the club, according to fresh reports in the Evening Standard. The striker’s wife, Wanda Nara, who is a TV star in Argentina revealed yesterday that a move is on the card to cash in on the 23-year-old Icardi.
Icardi was considered a transfer target for Arsenal’s second striker role a few months ago but the striker himself suggested he will stay at the San Siro back in May to put an end to transfer rumours.
Arsenal have been linked with multiple young strikers including Everton’s Romelu Lukaku, Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata, and Olympique Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette since then. Arsene Wenger would have to shell out more than £30 million to secure the services of each of these players.
Inter Milan’s No.9, on the other hand, is reported to not have any release clauses in his current contract, which expires only in 2019. The Argentina international has scored 43 goals in the last two seasons after establishing himself as the first-choice striker at his club.
The strikers wife Wanda Nara saying the club had decided to sell the Argentine striker, adding that neither she nor Icardi actually wanted to leave Milan. She said:
“From what I can see, Inter have put Icardi up for sale.
“There are many clubs interested. We will evaluate the situation with all due respect for everyone.
“Mauro would be very sad to leave Inter, but we’ve understood the club’s economic situation and evidently they cannot hold Icardi back.
“There is no release clause in his contract and we hope Inter won’t ask for a sum that is outside the market value, but rather suited to his contract.”
Icardi offers pace on the break, exceptional positioning, and clinical finishing abilities to any team that he plays in. The striker has not shown a knack for contributing in buildup play and getting midfielders into the attack but usually pops up in and around the box to finish.
While the Argentine striker is not necessarily an upgrade on the striking options at the Emirates, he would definitely add another dimension to the aerial abilities of Olivier Giroud. All the other strikers that have been linked to Arsenal would probably be automatic starters if they are signed but Icardi would definitely have to prove himself in training to merit a starting position.
Icardi is good at holding the ball up but his lack of link up play awareness means that unless he gets enough space to pull a shot off, possession is wasted. Of course, he is young enough to improve considering Roberto Mancini expects different functions from his strikers.
Inter Milan’s lack of Champions League and falling revenues means that a transfer would benefit both player and club if Icardi can move to a club with Champions League next season in return for a handsome transfer fee. The Nerazzurri brought him to San Siro from Sampdoria in 2013 for €11.7 million.
