The revolving door of strikers at AC Milan may very well continue this upcoming transfer window. If it does, the Rossoneri should pursue none other than former Inter Milan frontman Mauro Icardi. Daniel Blackham of The Express reports that AC Milan are interested in the move. The Argentine, currently on loan at Paris Saint-Germain, has netted 20 goals and supplied four assists in 31 matches.
His statistics suggest he’s doing well, which he is, yet there’s still uncertainty over whether PSG will decide to trigger a €70 million clause and purchase Icardi outright. His time at Inter is surely done, with Romelu Lukaku performing admirably, but a move back to the city rivals may be on the cards. Adding more fuel to the fire, Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s time at Milan is in question. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, there is not a high chance the Swede stays.
AC Milan Should Pursue Mauro Icardi
Icardi’s Skillset
There’s no question to it, especially in Italy: Mauro Icardi is a cold-blooded poacher. He can do it all – from creating his own chances through dribbling/positioning to always having the knack of scoring game-winning goals or equalizers in the dying embers of matches. His statistics this season, albeit having to share the ball with a wealth of elite talent at PSG, speak for themselves. Twelve goals in 20 league matches, three goals in two Coupe de la Ligue matches and, most impressively, five goals in six Champions League matches.
This all comes after a disappointing (for his standards) statistical output for Inter last season. He performed well in the Champions League and the Coppa Italia, but only managed 11 goals in 29 league matches. The season before, 2017/2018, Icardi scored 29 league goals in 34 matches. His records in prior seasons too also show improvement and constant scoring. The talent is there.
The issues surrounding Icardi, however, are off the field. He held the captain’s armband there, but was in constant disagreement with the club’s ultras. In addition, wife and agent Wanda Nara often finds herself in the headlines for the wrong reasons. Any club taking on Icardi is aware of this and will try to overcome it.
Fit at AC Milan
Like every other summer, Milan will likely see a player overhaul again. With this being said, expect a few staples such as Alessio Romagnoli, Ismaël Bennacer and Theo Hernandez to remain. Ante Rebić, playing out of his mind before the postponement of the season, should also be retained. The focus, then, turns to goal scoring.
Milan have not had a reliable striker who can net at least 20 goals in a season for a while. It’s safe to say Mauro Icardi would change that. Even more so, with past disagreements with Inter, the Argentine may be playing with even more of a chip on his shoulder. He already knows Serie A quite well, so is not a wild-card. He would also allow youngster Rafael Leão to not be thrown so quickly in a situation that might stunt his potential, as seen before with other youngsters at the club.
Lastly, Icardi is still trying to prove himself to make Argentina’s next World Cup squad. If his mind is right he can succeed anywhere, and Milan need to make that once again at the San Siro.
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