Mauro Icardi was a prolific goalscorer for Inter Milan. (Getty Images)
According to The Sun, Manchester United are eyeing a £98million swoop to land Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi in January. The Argentine striker is currently bound by a contract that does not run out until 2021 and the Italian giants may increase his release clause to keep United and other potential suitors at bay (h/t The Sun).
The 25-year-old Argentina centre-forward, who was shockingly left out of Jorge Sampaoli’s World Cup squad, is one of the hottest properties in the Serie A and has an amazing scoring record for Inter. Icardi has scored 100 goals in 160 appearances for the Italian outfit, including 53 in the last two seasons.
With that in mind, Mauro Icardi could be the right choice to spearhead United’s attack in the seasons to come.
The English outfit’s start to the season hasn’t been great by any means. Manchester United have won only three out their first five games, succumbing to humiliating defeats against Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur. The lacklustre start to the season has not only raised questions about the players but also about Mourinho and his tactics.
While most of United’s woes have been down to their porous and vulnerable backline, the attackers haven’t exactly hit the ground running. United have struggled to create chances due to a lack of cohesion in the attacking third and even when they do, the strikers have been guilty of squandering them.
At times, the attack has looked too one-dimensional and has lacked cutting-edge. On other occasions, United failed to convert the chances that came their way. Although Romelu Lukaku has three goals to his name so far, he has blown hot and cold and the team has suffered due to his lack of consistency in front of the goal.
Anthony Martial’s woes have continued at Old Trafford and the Frenchman has only started one game this season. Marcus Rashford has been utilized in a number of positions but he hasn’t been able to live up to his potential.
Truth be told, United have enough creative midfielders to create chances but they lack an efficient finisher in the box who can consistently deliver goals. To put things into perspective, Icardi is the man they need to achieve a better scoring record in the Premier League.
The Argentine has established himself as one of the most prolific goal-scorers around the world. The 25-year-old could be the perfect ‘fox in the box’ for United.
Icardi is a tactically intelligent forward with good technique, attacking movement, positioning and an eye for the goal. He mainly operates in central areas inside the penalty area.
An accurate and efficient finisher, he is known for his ability to score from a few touches. Furthermore, he can also hold up the ball in order to create spaces or chances for other players. The 25-year-old is deadly in the air and has developed reasonable work rate in the recent past.
Mourinho hasn’t shown an inclination to utilize Martial and to that end, the Argentine should be the perfect replacement for the Frenchman. The move, if it materializes, will be a huge boost for United and could make them strong title contenders in the coming days.