Chelsea have reportedly lodged a bid for Inter striker Mauro Icardi already, and so this latest suggestion will give them additional belief that a deal can be done this summer.
According to AS, the Blues have offered €63m for the prolific forward, while the report notes that Real Madrid are also interested in the Argentine international and it will take significantly more to prise him away.
SEE MORE: Chelsea tipped to beat Arsenal to potential key arrival on one major condition
It’s with good reason that Icardi is attracting plenty of interest too, as the 25-year-old has continued to establish himself as one of the most prolific strikers in Europe this season with 22 goals in 26 appearances.
With Inter continuing to battle for a Champions League spot this season, it remains to be seen if failure to book a place at Europe’s top table has an adverse effect on their ability to keep him at the San Siro, but according to Calciomercato the fear of losing him is growing.
It’s claimed that as part of the Nerazzurri’s plans to strengthen the squad, they may have to sacrifice their leading goalscorer in order to meet budgets and financial limitations.
That would undoubtedly be a major setback for Luciano Spalletti who will continue to rely heavily on Icardi’s goals, but it could be music to the ears of Chelsea and Real Madrid who are both seemingly in need of reinforcements in that department.
Regardless of the praise that he gets for helping Cristiano Ronaldo flourish, Karim Benzema has managed just eight goals in 34 appearances so far this season and is now on the wrong side of 30.
Over at Chelsea, Alvaro Morata has struggled to hit the heights expected in his first season with the club, and with only Olivier Giroud as an alternative, the Blues are in need of strengthening in that department too.
As a result, Icardi would solve both their issues, but while it’s suggested that an exit could now happen this summer, that’s not to suggest that it’s going to be straight forward for either club to reach an agreement over a transfer fee as Inter will undoubtedly be wanting a significant figure for their most valuable player.