Galatasaray chief on Icardi’s impact, linked with Argentine club | OneFootball

Galatasaray's defeat against Kocaelispor by 1-0 set off alarms in Istanbul. Despite remaining at the top of the Turkish Super League with 29 points and in the Champions League playoff zone, the internal atmosphere became tense. In the club's monthly Council meeting, one of the directors launched strong criticisms at several figures, including Mauro Icardi.

According to the Hurriyet portal, the director Turcan Bolayır spoke vehemently and first pointed at some local players. “With Barış Alper Yılmaz's entry, Victor Osimhen's mechanics were disrupted… If someone is interested and pays well in January, let's say goodbye,” he declared to those present.

The most tense moment came when Bolayır referred to the Argentine captain. “He can't run, he can't lose the excess weight, but he's forced to seem nice. It can't be! The footballer is a soldier… If you don't do this, you can't play at Galatasaray,” he fired. He added that, in his opinion, the forward “is not fit to play 90 minutes.” President Dursun Özbek tried to calm the tone of the discussion, but the director insisted: “I am not saying anything incorrect, nor am I insulting anyone.”

The former PSG forward, 32 years old, joined the Turkish team in 2022 and has since recorded 102 matches, 67 goals, and 22 assists, in addition to five titles. After a ligament injury, he returned with six goals in the last 14 matches, totaling 534 minutes on the field.

His continuity, however, remains uncertain, and several clubs have already shown interest in his situation. Local media reported that Estudiantes inquired about conditions for when the season ends, which coincides with the end of his contract. The Pincha, presided over by Juan Sebastián Verón, has reportedly shown a firmer intention than, for example, América of Mexico.

At the same time, it emerged that NEOM SC from Saudi Arabia presented an offer of 10 million euros annually, although the most notable interest came from Italy: according to Tuttosport, Milan is closely following him. A potential transfer to the Rossoneri would have a special twist: he was an idol and captain of Inter, the eternal city rival.

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