Reports Claim Man Utd May Need to Spend £135m to Sign Inter Ace as Agent Eyes Contract Extension
Manchester United will need to spend at least £135m to sign the Argentine ace in the summer, as his agent is reportedly seeking a new contract that would wipe out his current £80m release clause.
As reported by the Sun, Icardi's wife and agent Wanda Nara is looking to secure a contract extension for her client, but is unwilling to completely scrap the release clause in his contract - instead suggesting a higher fee of £135m. Inter are desperate not to lose their talismanic striker for £80m, and may well agree to the deal if it ensures they don't lose Icardi for the lower fee.
Meanwhile, Talksport have reported that Nara is looking to seal her husband a £6.5m per-year contract - more than double his existing wage - and would even be willing to exclude the desired £135m release clause if the salary could be upped to around £7m per-year. It is still unclear what option Inter will take, and Icardi's future still hangs very much in the balance.
In today's inflated global football transfer market, £80m for a striker of Icardi's quality is arguably not an extortionate price to pay. The 24-year-old is yet to play Champions League football in his career, and a move away from Inter is becoming increasingly likely as the ex-Sampdoria man looks to pursue his aims of winning some major silverware.
Meanwhile, Inter striker Gabigol has lashed out at his club for not giving him a chance to shine at the San Siro - after making a goalscoring return for Santos after securing a loan switch back to his boyhood club. The 21-year-old saw his career stall after moving to the Serie A side, and a dismal loan spell with Benfica saw him shipped off to Brazil in the January transfer window.