According to Corriere dello Sport, Chelsea could agree a deal with Inter Milan for Mauro Icardi if they appoint former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri as their new head coach this summer. Antonio Conte remains in charge, but he could be leaving the club in the coming weeks after a disappointing second season.
The 25-year-old joined Inter from Sampdoria in 2013 and has gone on to score and create 130 goals in 182 games in all competitions. Icardi impressed last season too, with 29 goals in 34 Serie A games, but it wasn’t enough to land him a place in Argentina’s World Cup squad.
Despite having three years on his contract at the San Siro, Icardi’s future is uncertain with Chelsea looking to bring him to Stamford Bridge. However, their pursuit of the South American centre-forward might depend on the outcome of their managerial situation.
Sarri is being tipped to replace Conte as head coach, and if the switch is made an approach for his transfer target Icardi could ensue. The 25-year-old won’t come cheap with a £96m release clause, but owner Roman Abramovich is expected to invest a considerable amount of money to ensure Chelsea get back into the top-four next season.