Arsenal look as though they are set to miss out on Inter striker Mauro Icardi, with his agent confirming that a meeting was held with Napoli.
Wanda Nara, Icardi’s wife and agent, took to Twitter on Sunday to clear up speculation suggesting that she was meeting with Napoli officials to talk over a deal herself.
Although she dismissed the claim that she was present, she did confirm that the meeting was in fact happening but with an intermediary, even offering an English translation too, perhaps for the benefit of any eagle-eyed Arsenal officials and supporters.
Meeting is with an intermediary. I am in my office in Milan, kisses. 🙂 “
— Wanda_Icardi (@wandaicardi) July 24, 2016
According to Sky Sports, both Icardi and Gonzalo Higuain had been linked with a move to the Emirates this summer, but with the latter set to secure a switch to Juventus, it appears as though he’ll be replaced by his compatriot.
Various sources have leaked reported details of the offer, as noted by Football Italia, with suggestions that Icardi will be offered a deal worth €5m per year, with additional bonuses to be added on too along with 50 per cent of his image rights.
However, before they reach the point of discussing personal terms and pushing a move through, Napoli will have to reach an agreement with Inter over a transfer fee, with the same report suggesting that it will take a bid of around €50m to prise him away from the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
It remains to be seen what the Partenopei now offer to sign the 23-year-old, but it would certainly appease some of the frustration and anger that the supporters are feeling as Higuain closes on an exit to join Juve.
Icardi has encountered difficulties in Milan over the past two years, but he has maintained a more than respectable goalscoring record and would arguably fit in perfectly at the San Paolo with a view of picking up from where Higuain left.
It will be a major blow for Maurizio Sarri to lose the prolific former Real Madrid forward, but with the fee that comes with his transfer, he will feel confident of significantly strengthening his squad.