Chelsea Target Icardi
Last summer, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte decided to offload striker Diego Costa and replace him with Spanish international Alvaro Morata.
The move did not work out as expected and despite starting the season well for both club and country, Morata soon found his appearances limited at Stamford Bridge as the goals dried up. Conte moved for French striker Olivier Giroud in the winter transfer market and it was the former Arsenal man who got the nod in the FA Cup final.
Consistency
If Chelsea are to challenge for the Premier League title again next season, they must find a striker who will remain consistent in-front of goal and reports suggest they have turned their attention to Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi.
While Morata has struggled to score goals on a regular basis this season, Icardi was once again on fire for Inter Milan and the Argentine scored 29 goals in Serie A. Icardi made 34 appearances to score those goals and while he rarely gets involved in setting up his team mates for chances, no one can deny his finishing ability.
The former Sampdoria man’s record is very good and last season, Icardi finished with 24 league goals and the season before that he bagged 16 in Serie A. In the 2014/15 season wearing the blue and black of Inter Milan, Icardi scored 22 goals and there is no doubt he is a clinical striker.
However, Icardi suffered disappointment when he was left out of Argentina’s squad for the 2018 World Cup and must get over this setback in time for next season.
The good news for any potential suitor of Icardi is that he will be well rested ahead of next season and that makes him a more tantalising addition for Chelsea. Giroud will be in Russia representing France, meaning he will have little rest before the start of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign.
Icardi on the other hand will be raring to go and this makes him an attractive proposition for the Blues.
Swap Deal
If reports in Italy and Spain are to be believed, Morata could be heading in the opposite direction as part of a swap plus cash deal for Icardi. The fee is rumoured to be around £35 million plus the Spanish striker and while Inter Milan would like to keep their main goal threat, it is a deal they could find difficult to refuse.
The only major doubt of Icardi’s suitability to Chelsea is his involvement over the full 90 minutes. The Argentina man likes to play in the penalty area and that may not suit the way Conte or the next manager of Chelsea wants to set up the team.
However, if it is goals you are looking for, Icardi is proven to find the back of the net regularly and would be a welcome addition to the Premier League.