Chelsea have reportedly tabled a €63 million bid for Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, who has been heavily linked with a summer move to Real Madrid.
Chelsea have made the first move in pursuit of Mauro Icardi. According to Spanish publication AS, The Blues have tabled a €63 million bid for the Inter Milan striker in an attempt to seal a deal for the Nerazzurri captain. Real Madrid have been heavily linked with the player and will now have to move quickly if they are to avoid Chelsea running away with him.
Mauro Icardi is one of the most potent number 9s in world football right now. The player has grown in stature after sealing a move to Inter Milan from Sampdoria in the summer of 2013. The striker has not only gone on to establish himself as one of the key members of the squad, but has also been handed the armband to lead the Nerazzurri on the pitch.
Mauro Icardi ⚽️
✅ 103 goals in Serie A
✅ Sixth-youngest player to reach 100Underrated. pic.twitter.com/MVr91qCS11
— BlameFootball (@blamefootball) March 19, 2018
Icardi has been in fine form this season, with 22 goals in 24 Serie A games so far. The Argentine has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for a while now, with Los Blancos keen on replacing Karim Benzema upfront in order to breathe new life into their attacking lineup.
But, it is Chelsea who have taken the first step, by lodging a €63 million bid for the player. Interestingly, the report states that the bid has been received by the player and his agent and wife, Wanda Nara. The offer serves as a reminder of Chelsea’s firm interest in the 25-year-old and their intent of paying big bucks for the striker.
At Chelsea, Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud are the only options available at Antonio Conte’s disposal. Morata seemed like a great signing at the beginning, but has failed to continue in the same vein of form at Stamford Bridge while Giroud has been mainly signed as a stopgap solution to their striking problems.
There are doubts over Antonio Conte’s future, with reports that Luis Enrique is the favourite to take over from the Italian. The Spaniard could want a revamp of the squad and it seems the club are ready to show their intent to back him in the market by welcoming him with the signing of Mauro Icardi.
However, Icardi has himself placed doubts on a potential move away from Inter Milan, stating that he sees himself playing for the club even when he is 30. To add to that, there are signs that Inter Milan are unwilling to listen to any offers below €100 million for their prized possession, a fee that Real Madrid have been touted to be looking to pay in order to land the 25-year-old.
Their stance could ease up over the summer, lest Chelsea might have to stump up an eight-figure fee to sign Icardi. The 25-year-old would serve as an ideal addition to either Chelsea or Real Madrid. Chelsea have the lead but will they be the one to cross the finish line?
