There are a number of clubs in the Premier League that are in the market for strikers, and the availability of Mauro Icardi could interest some of those. According to his wife, the club have put the striker up for sale as they want to generate funds, with Icardi being one of their most saleable assets. He has been linked with both Chelsea and Arsenal, while West Ham could be another club that could be interested in the Italian. Icardi had a good goal record last season, scoring 16 goals in 33 league matches, helping Inter Milan to 4th position.
The Italian is an ambitious player, who always has his career at the forefront of his thoughts, as displayed by his move from Barcelona to Sampdoria in 2011. He has always been thought of as a future star with several high profile clubs competing over his signature as a teenager. The Argentinian opted for Barcelona and their famous La Masia facility, but the opportunity for first-team matches wasn’t great, which is why he chose to go to Italy. He has developed well during his time in Italy, growing in consistency and he is now thought of as one of the best strikers in the division.
Since joining Inter, his game has reached a new level, especially in terms of finishing. The Argentine international has scored 38 goals over the last two seasons and always looks a threat in the final third. He has never lacked confidence in his own abilities and that has helped him immensely to adapt to European football. There is no doubting his potential and the fact he has scored 15+ goals in successive seasons at the age of 23 highlights that. Icardi is impressive for his age and in the right system, he would be a big success in England.
In terms of his style, Icardi is a natural goalscorer, who is a strong finisher and will always score goals if he receives service. His intelligent movement is his most impressive attribute, as he often finds an extra yard in the final third. Icardi is an instinctive finisher and doesn’t need long to get his shot away. His chance conversion has improved a lot over the last 12 months, as he went from shooting 3.4 times per game last season, to 1.7 this campaign. He only scored six less goals showing that he is taking his chances more frequently.
There are weaknesses to his game as his passing isn’t great and is likely to reduce his chances of getting a move to Arsenal. He also doesn’t work very hard off the ball, with his defensive contributions lacking, but this isn’t a huge issue as his main responsibility is to score goals. He lacks the quick acceleration over short distances and that could prove to be an issue in the Premier League, given the pace and physicality of the league.
If Icardi is available like his wife says he is, there should certainly be some interest in England, given his goalscoring pedigree at such a young age. A reliable finisher is becoming less common in football, and Icardi is certainly that. He is always going to score goals if chances come his way as he has shown during his time in Italy. The opportunity to move to a top four club is unlikely this summer, but West Ham should be looking at Icardi this summer. They need a new striker and with the creative talent in their squad, the service is there for a player like Icardi to thrive. The money wouldn’t be an issue either given the spending power that every Premier League club now possesses. At the age of 23, Icardi would be a great pick up for West Ham as he already has a lot of ability, while there is potential for him to grow into a top striker.
