Mauro Icardi will not be there for Paris Saint-Germain’s first match of the season at the Parc des Princes, this Saturday evening against Montpellier. This week, Christophe Galtier announced that the Argentine striker had joined “the afternoon session group” a polite appellation of the Parisian loft, and publicly advised him to find a new base. Obvious after two years during which his story with Wanda Nara, his wife and agent, relegated his with PSG to the background.
on 08/13/2022 at 8:45 p.m.
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In ten years or even a little less, it is not impossible that the name of Mauro Icardi will be one of the great forgotten when it comes to remembering the former staff of PSG, on the occasion of a quiz or an evening with friends. The marriage between the two, however, made the fans of the capital club salivate, convinced of having a goleador, a real one, capable of stringing the pawns like pearls during the same season. On this point, they were not wrong. When he arrived at Paris Saint-Germain on loan in the summer of 2019, Icardi, 26, had a reputation for being a hothead, but he was above all a formidable surface fox. In the jersey of Inter, he still weighs 124 goals (and 29 assists) in 219 appearances. It’s promising, very promising, and his first season in France, rather very correct until the interruption of the championships because of the Covid-19 (20 goals, 4 offerings), even pushes PSG to make him the fifth most expensive transfer in the history of the club by paying the 50 million euros requested by the leaders Nerazzurri (he has moved up to sixth since the arrival of Achraf Hakimi). Then, the light went out, football taking a back seat in the relationship between Icardi and Paris. Today, there is not even a question of finding a place for him in the new system put in place by Christophe Galtier or of thinking about a potential association with the three attacking stars. PSG just want to get rid of it. As quickly as possible.
“He continues to be part of the club for two years. To release a player, you have to pay a lot of money and that is not the case. »
Wanda Nara on Argentinian TV
Between Paris and Icardi, the divorce is consummated
To find the trace of a goal by Mauro Icardi in an official match, you have to go back to a period during which the heat wave was not at all relevant. It was a December evening, between a converted penalty against Feignies-Aulnoye in the Coupe de France and Christmas, in the duck cold of Moustoir, where the Argentinian had extinguished the enthusiasm of the Bretons by taking over a cross from Hakimi from a crossed header, allowing PSG to snatch the point of draw in added time. Since then, Icardi has not shaken the nets or even the opposing defenses, contenting himself with wandering on the lawn and shining with his very low number of balls touched when he is not injured. This is a good summary of the past two years, more punctuated by his love affair with Wanda Nara, his wife and adviser, than by his performance on the field (5 goals in 30 appearances last season, 1300 minutes of play). The arrival of a new coach can sometimes reshuffle the cards, that of Christophe Galtier on the PSG bench has not changed anything. Like Luis Campos, who would like to find a way out for Icardi, the technician no longer counts on the striker, who nevertheless posed all smiles with the Champions Trophy last month, in Tel Aviv, after having spent the meeting on the bench.
Two days before the reception of Montpellier in Ligue 1, the Parisian coach formalized the “transfer” of the striker in the loft composed of Julian Draxler, Ander Herrera, Rafinha, Layvin Kurzawa or even Idrissa Gueye, among others. “He joined the group for the afternoon sessionshe confirmed at a press conference. I’ll leave the (undesirable) term to you. I saw Mauro at the start of the week. His absence was linked to a choice and not something else. I saw him to tell him that I will further restrict the group that I do not want to play with 25 outfield players. I don’t know about his wishes. The club is working closely with Mauro to find the best possible solution. He had very little playing time and I think it’s better that he revives. He didn’t lose everything like that, but it’s true that it’s been difficult for two years. Changing location, finding a more favorable place allows you to relaunch yourself in a career. » A polite way to show him the exit. Only, the clubs that can claim to afford a player under contract until 2024, whose salary is estimated at 800,000 euros gross monthly, are not numerous. Recently, Argentine TV channel TyC Sport raised the possibility of Icardi bouncing back on loan at Manchester United or Galatasaray. But the transfer window closes in less than three weeks and the Argentinian clan will have to make concessions. Wanda Nara, she took advantage of Galtier’s development to send a clear message to PSG during an intervention against Maite Penori, an Argentinian TV presenter: “He continues to be part of the club for two years. To release a player, you have to pay a lot of money and that is not the case. » It’s never easy, a divorce.
By Clement Gavard
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