Should Real Madrid try to sign Mauro Icardi?

Real Madrid need to sign a world-class goal-scorer before the 2020-2021 season begins, but is Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi a viable target?

Before the 2019-2020 La Liga campaign was suspended, center back Sergio Ramos was Real Madrid‘s second-leading goal-scorer. And star striker Karim Benzema had struck just twice in the second half of the season.

So Real Madrid still have work to do when it comes to bolstering their attack, and it’s abundantly clear that they need to sign a better primary scorer than Benzema, who is at his best when his all-around game can shine.

As such, Los Blancos would ideal pursue a wide forward, but with Kylian Mbappe essentially impossible to purchase until 2021, Real may have to settle on a striker and finding a way to work with Benzema in that situation. Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland seems to be a prime target, but it doesn’t seem like BVB are interested in losing both him and Jadon Sancho in the same summer.

Los Blancos may be forced to look at their other options at the striker position, and one of them appears to be Mauro Icardi.

The links between Real and Icardi began in the spring of 2019 before Icardi was loaned to PSG. He has been sensational in Ligue 1, scoring 12 goals in 1,268 minutes in the league with a whopping five Champions League goals to boot.

Icardi is one of the best strikers in the world, and he seems to be targeting a move to a rival Serie A club from Inter, who still own his rights, or Real Madrid. And Los Blancos tend to be a dream move for most ambitious players like Icardi.

Since Inter will be keen to get rid of him and Icardi has expressed that he sees no future with the sudden Serie A title challengers, he should be cheaper than other strikers heading into the primes of their careers like Harry Kane.

Ideally, Real Madrid would sign somebody younger than Icardi, who is 27 years old. But Haaland is unavailable, Kane seems far too expensive, and Timo Werner‘s availability is in just as much question as Haaland’s.

Los Blancos need an upgrade now, and if they can’t find alternative scoring options at striker or on the right wing – left wing is already filled with Eden Hazard in the team and Vinicius Junior coming off exceptional performances – then they may have to settle on Icardi.

There’s nothing wrong with Icardi on the pitch, and Real Madrid were high on him despite not showing interest in pursuing the striker last year. Nobody can deny his quality in front of goal, and he showed positive support play at PSG.

However, Icardi’s questions off the pitch, age, and uncertain fit in Real’s system with Benzema entrenched make him less appealing than the likes of Haaland, Mbappe, or even Sancho.