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Inter Milan is getting a new contract prepared for striker Mauro Icardi.
This comes a week after the Argentine was stripped of his captain’s armband following his removal from the team for its Europa League match at Rapid Wien.
Club CEO Beppe Marotta has confirmed the club is working to get Icardi and his wife/agent Wanda Nara a new contract in the immediate future.
Calciomercato has reported the contract will be for five years – Icardi’s current deal expires in 2021 – through 2024 with a salary of around €7 million with bonuses. That will come close to the offer submitted by Nara for an annual contract worth about €8 million.
The biggest talking point will be on the release clause.
Currently, Icardi’s contract contains a €110 million release clause and Marotta is in favor of eliminating the clause complete. Nara has proposed a release clause of around €140 million.
The team has suggested the new deal will be the final offer for Icardi and his camp will have to decide the next move.
Marotta has made strides to fix the situation, even going so far as to call into an Italian talk show to talk to Nara directly.
Icardi case: Wanda Nara breaks down in tears on tv program, Marotta calls live https://t.co/Ocuh9bL5Pb pic.twitter.com/VR5hu0yuwn
— CalcioMercato (En) (@CmdotCom_En) February 18, 2019
He has even gone so far as to dismiss claims that Inter plan to sell Icardi in the summer and are looking at Juventus’ Paulo Dybala as a potential replacement.
#Paratici: "#Icardi alla #Juve? Nessun contatto recente, a giugno si vedrà...".
— nonleggerlo (@nonleggerlo) February 18, 2019
E qui #Marotta sale in cattedra. #Dybala
(@SkySport) pic.twitter.com/ZQPLvrZEGF
Regardless of whether the new contract will be accepted, it will be very difficult for Icardi to get back into the good graces of the team and Interisti following last week’s developments.
That said, I think it can be done. But, only if Icardi puts his head down and focuses on playing for the name on the front of the shirt instead of the one on the back.
I think it is no secret that the team responded well in his absence, beating Rapid Wien and knocking off Sampdoria over the weekend without him. The emotion and play on the field was better than anything we have seen from Inter Milan in the previous months.
That should raise a red flag to Icardi that he has the potential to be part of something much bigger than himself. He just has to put these things aside and focus on the team. If he does that, this has the potential to be a very good Inter team.
But, of course, I could be wrong.
What do you think? Post your comments below!