Inter-Mauro Icardi deal approaching completion

For a large portion of the summer the spotlight at Inter has been trained on Mauro Icardi. Whether it was due to his wife/agent Wanda Nara agitating for a move (or improved wages) or Napoli submitting bid after bid for his services, Inter has not been able to quiet speculation over his future despite numerous statements from club officials that he would stay. Now reports suggest that Inter is negotiating a contract extension with the 23 year old with clauses that should make both parties happy.

It looks like this new contract would tie Icardi to the club until June 2021 and would also give give the striker a large pay raise. His new deal would see him earn €5m per season. The two parties have also agreed to the inclusion of a release clause in the new contract. There is uncertainty as to the figure that will be used; the general consensus is that it is something between €80-100m, with a couple of sources indicated that it might actually end up being €100m. It looks like the deal won’t be signed until after the transfer market closes (a point Inter had been pushing for).

Since the deal won’t be signed for a few weeks (or maybe even a month) there is time for the figures being thrown around to change, but this looks to be a solution that satisfies everybody. Icardi gets the pay raise he deserves, and can focus on scoring goals and winning fans over again. Inter has tied the Argentine striker to a long term deal and set a massively high release clause to make clubs think twice about going after the club captain. Inter will have most of the power now if it ever comes time to negotiate a transfer for Icardi, and it gives Ausilio and co. the power to just walk away if a bid isn’t high enough for them. Some people don’t like the idea of release clauses but the way I see it, if some club wants to drop €80-100m for Icardi that club can have him.