Argentine Mauro Icardi has been heavily linked with a move away from the San Siro this summer, with agent and wife Wanda Nara stating Inter Milan have put him on the market.
Similar to last year when Mateo Kovacic was sold in order to reportedly balance the books, the club captain and top scorer for the side over the last two seasons in Icardi has allegedly been put up for sale in order to free up funds for further acquisitions. Arsenal are reportedly after the prodigiously talented striker’s signature, with a £33.6m bid incoming.
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Were the 23-year-old to eventually be sold this summer, it would represent – much like Kovacic’s aforementioned sale – another transfer howler by the Nerazzurri.
When the young Croatian left for Real Madrid at the beginning of 2015-16 in a €35 million deal, there was a hole left in the middle of midfield that had not been filled up until this summer, when Éver Banega arrived on a free transfer (a rare piece of astute business on the club’s behalf).
All throughout the season, Roberto Mancini’s side had struggled to create from midfield and relied upon a stellar defence, as well as an outstanding goalkeeper in Samir Handanovic, to see them defeat opponents by the slimmest of margins.
Icardi was central to these victories much of the time. Despite enduring a campaign blighted with the occasional minor injury and a rumoured falling out with the manager, the former Sampdoria man delivered. A total 16 goals in 33 appearances ensured Internazionale would return to midweek European action in 2016-17 – and mind you, this was without receiving much service from teammates.
It may not have been the wisest call by Mancini to install the Argentine as Inter’s captain, however, there is no doubting his ability and importance to the team. Icardi, still at just 23-years of age, is one of the best young strikers in the world, as well as being arguably the best poacher among this category. He is also, without doubt, in the club’s top three best players currently on the books.
The La Masia youth product is one of the few men who can help deliver Champions League football to the San Siro once more. He is a clinical finisher, an extremely intelligent operator inside the penalty area, and could reach lofty new heights this season with the likes of Banega and Marcelo Brozovic acting as support in midfield.
If the worst was to occur at Inter Milan, and Icardi was moved on, the club would have great difficulty even finding a striker on the market who represents a better option up front for them.
Players such as Vincent Janssen and Michy Batshuayi have already been snapped up by Tottenham and Chelsea, respectively. There are not many more out there of similar calibre to the aforementioned players who would turn down a move to the Premier League in favour of Europa League football with Inter Milan at a lower salary. As well as this, the inflated price tags put on such players makes it all the more difficult for the San Siro side to purchase such quality, while remaining within the parameters of Financial Fair Play.
In Icardi, the club already has a ready-made proven hitman who boasts one of the best strike rates in the game at this point in time. Not to mention, one that has time and again expressed his desire to remain with the side.
The very notion of selling the 23-year-old is a fearful one for fans of the historic Italian club, and one that makes no sense when the success of a season, as well as many to come, could potentially hinge on it. Mancini and Inter may not have the best track record in the transfer market as of late, however in retaining the clinical Argentine, they will be making a wise decision for the present as well as the future.
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