Mauro Icardi could reportedly be part of a swap deal between Inter Milan and Arsenal involving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
According to a report published by Italian publication Tuttosport, as carried out by The Sun, Mauro Icardi in line to be involved in a swap deal. This deal would see him move to Arsenal, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang switching places and joining Inter Milan.
Aubameyang has been linked with several clubs, including Barcelona and Real Madrid among others, as his contract runs out in June 2021. Arsenal have reportedly ceased all talks regarding an extension, which means the Gabonese striker will most definitely be on his way out this summer.
Arsenal, who will likely be without Champions League, and maybe even Europa League funding, might need to let go of their best player to mantain their budget.
The 30-year-old arrived in North London in the winter window of 2018, and has already been named the Arsenal captain after Granit Xhaka’s falling out with the club fans last year. In his first full season in the Premier League, Aubameyang won the golden boot, tied with Mohammad Salah and Sadio Mane. He has been even more impressive this season, netting 17 goals in 27 games.
As for Mauro Icardi, a move to Arsenal could serve as a redemption is his career. After falling out with the Inter Milan board last season, Icardi was stripped of captaincy and forced to sit out the remaining part of the campaign, eventually moving to PSG last summer.
The Argentine international started out strong, scoring 7 goals in 6 games, but eventually burnt out and has been in and out of the team since. His introduction to Ligue 1 was helped by several injuries in PSG’s attacking lineup. However, gradually, he has had to play second-fiddle to the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Now, the 27-year-old is at a crossroads yet again in his career, with neither of PSG and Inter ready to keep him on their payroll. It is reported that Icardi wants a move back to Italy, which doesn’t necessarily mean a move back to the Nerazzurri. However, this deal – if it goes through – could end up benefitting both Inter and Arsenal.
Antonio Conte has brought in 16 players over 2 windows as manager to get Inter’s squad overhaul underway. However, they are about to lose Lautaro Martinez, who may be on his way to Barcelona, and Arsenal captain Aubameyang could serve as an excellent short-term replacement while also acting as a mentor to 17-year-old Sebastiano Esposito.
This would be even better for Arsenal, who have to offload Aubameyang in either of the next two windows to avoid letting him walk for free. Trading in a player of a similar quality, and 3 years younger is probably their best option.
Wage-wise, the Gunners could be on the better end of the deal. Currently, Aubameyang earns £198,000-a-week at Arsenal, totalling to around £10.3 million for the year. However, Icardi is not in the uppermost bracket of earners at PSG, and collects nearly £5 million annually.
This move would be viable in every sense for both clubs, even if it means the Arsenal board having to deal with Wanda Nara. They’ll be in the market for a striker anyway, and could lay their hands on a world-class player if they play their cards right.