Again? Argentine press link Icardi to São Paulo after Calleri injury | OneFootball

Argentine striker Mauro Icardi, 33, is going through a decisive period in the transfer market after becoming a free agent when his contract expired on June 30, and São Paulo is reportedly interested in the player.

According to Turkish journalist Yakup Çınar, who specializes in the transfer market, the player has already moved his belongings from Istanbul to Italy as he searches for a new team just weeks before the European window closes.

And according to reports published this Monday (24) by Argentine outlets La100 and Tyc Sports, the Tricolor is considering signing the Argentine goalscorer on a free transfer, even because of the recent injury to his compatriot Calleri at São Paulo.

This is not the first time the rumor has gained traction in this transfer window. As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR reported last July, São Paulo has Icardi on its radar for a possible signing. According to our reporting, the club only made initial inquiries about the player at the time, without submitting any offer. But, as usual, the “numbers were alarming” for the board.

Trouble at Gala

The player’s departure from Galatasaray happened in turbulent fashion. According to the Turkish daily Fanatik, Icardi expressed dissatisfaction with the club’s board and coaching staff after receiving a contract renewal offer for just one more season with a 50% pay cut. During his spell with the Turkish side, the center-forward made 134 appearances, scored 77 goals, provided 25 assists, and won six titles.

To replace Icardi, Turkish club president Dursun Özbek is considering names such as Ermedin Demirovic (Stuttgart), Rafael Leão (Milan), and Malick Fofana (Lyon).

Europe watching

In Italian football, Lazio offered Icardi a salary package close to €2.5 million per season, but the parties did not reach an agreement. Fiorentina, under the sporting management of Fabio Paratici, is also monitoring the player as an option for its attack.

Other possibilities have been speculated in Europe: Olympiacos had an approach rejected, a move to Besiktas was ruled out, and Como emerged as an option.

São Paulo monitoring

According to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, the striker is also weighing offers from South American football and the Mexican market. In Brazil, Vasco da Gama has made inquiries about the player, while São Paulo is still considering signing the Argentine on a free transfer.

The São Paulo club’s search for a center-forward intensified after striker Jonathan Calleri’s injury and amid the team’s delicate position in the Brazilian Championship table, where it sits 13th with 27 points — three above the relegation zone — after a 1-0 defeat to Chapecoense.

The main obstacle to completing a deal lies in the financial terms, since the player was earning around €10 million per season in Turkey, a figure above the wage limits practiced by the interested teams.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.