According to La Repubblica, as cited by Sempre Inter, Mauro Icardi would be willing to join either Barcelona or Real Madrid if any of the clubs make a move for him. The Argentine has been deemed surplus to the requirements for Antonio Conte this season. As a result, he is keen to leave San Siro before the European transfer window slams shut on September 2nd.
Icardi is one of the best strikers in Europe
Formerly a member of La Masia youth academy, Icardi initially moved to Sampdoria in the summer of 2011. He played for the youth team during the 2011/12 campaign, scoring 19 goals in just 23 matches in the Primavera A. He was later rewarded for his performances the following season as he became a prominent part of the Sampdoria first team.
Icardi scored an impressive 30 goals in 39 competitive matches for Sampdoria before leaving for Inter Milan in 2013, for a fee of €13 million. The forward performed at a whole new level at San Siro, notably scoring nine goals in his debut campaign for the club.
During his ongoing six-year spell at San Siro, the Argentine has netted 124 goals in 219 competitive matches, which is a stellar record even for a top-class forward.
Do Barcelona really need Icardi?
Icardi is undoubtedly one of the most lethal strikers in Europe. But, he is not a viable target for FC Barcelona at the moment.
The Inter Milan star is a centre-forward by trade, which means he could be a direct competitor for Luis Suarez. This makes sense, to an extent, given how much the Urugyauan international has struggled with injuries and lack of fitness within the past 12 months. Even though Suarez has still maintained an excellent scoring record, there is a sense that his influence has waned, of late.
That being said, Barcelona have already signed Antoine Griezmann as a potential alternative for the ex-Liverpool striker. The Frenchman, though a left-winger, is very familiar with the centre-forward role while he can also be used in a wide-role in case of a 4-3-3.
Moreover, Griezmann has the experience of playing in Spanish football, having made 324 La Liga appearances during his 14-year spell in Spain.
But, what really makes Icardi a lousy option for Barcelona is his off-field antics. The Argentine is known for his insensitive attitude while his wife and agent, Wanda Nara, has also been a subject of several controversies. Also, the 26-year-old doesn’t have a healthy relationship with Lionel Messi, which could certainly create a lot of problems should he move to Barcelona.
