Real Madrid have got a conundrum on their hands when it comes to their current attacking options, but Mauro Icardi may well be the solution.
From Karim Benzema’s lack of goals, managing just five in 20 appearances so far this season, to Gareth Bale’s injury problems and Cristiano Ronaldo’s apparent decline, Los Blancos have to make a big decision on their long-term future.
While the reigning Spanish and European champions are undoubtedly still a formidable unit capable of competing for major honours with their current options, Benzema turns 31 later this year while Ronaldo celebrates his 33rd birthday next month.
As a result, they don’t have a great long-term outlook, with the Portuguese superstar in particular attracting plenty of scrutiny this year.
Enter Mauro Icardi. According to Corriere dello Sport, Real Madrid will launch a €110m bid for the Argentine forward in the summer, meeting the release clause in his contract.
That’s a lot of money for the 24-year-old, but a glance at his goalscoring record would suggest that it could very well be a smart investment for the La Liga giants.
Icardi has scored 18 goals in 22 games so far this season, while he’s got 96 in 168 outings in total for Inter since he arrived from Sampdoria in 2013.
A natural goalscorer, he would certainly add a clinical edge up front for Madrid, but the decision will have to be made whether or not they’re willing to splash out on him to be their focal point up top.
As they sit in fourth place in the league table, 19 points adrift of leaders Barcelona and having failed to entirely convince in the Copa del Rey or Champions League this season, big changes may well be needed at the Bernabeu, and that process could start with the arrival of Icardi in the summer.