Mauro Icardi, dead end at Paris Saint-Germain? Recruited at the very end of the transfer window of the summer of 2019 as a competitor and successor to Edinson Cavani, snatched from Inter Milan ... who did not do much to retain him, the Argentine international striker (8 sel., 1 goal) of 28 years old started strong, very strong. Taking advantage of the absences of each other, it did not take long to settle in the eleven of Thomas Tuchel. And to thread the goals like the pearls. 17 in his first 19 matches in Red and Blue! Maximum efficiency. So much so that when the club exercised its purchase option (€ 50 million) in the summer of 2020, it was obvious. "
He kind of gave me the keys to PSG, if I may say so, immediately giving me my chance
", s'he ignited for
France Football
, evoking Tuchel.
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Except that this state of grace did not last ... In March 2020, when Paris overthrew Dortmund in the knockout stages of the Champions League, it was already with Cavani.
The departure of the Uruguayan, even before the “Final 8” in Lisbon, did not necessarily do Icardi's business.
No more than that of the German coach, last winter, just before Christmas, and his replacement by Pochettino.
Injuries, poor shape and telenovela
Today, Icardi is only one number among others, almost an anonymous within the Parisian workforce. This Sunday (9 p.m.) against Monaco, during the 18th day of Ligue 1, he should still take his place on the bench. His transfer looked like a good deal a year ago. This is less the case now ... When he is not held back by physical glitches, the former chief gunner of Inter struggles to find his place, to be indispensable or only important. And yet, Paris has often seemed to lack a presence in the area, a real number 9 profile. Not enough to make it a taulier. In addition, his private life regularly makes the headlines in the newspapers or the trends on social networks. A few weeks ago,we could follow in mondovision the separation of the couple Icardi / Nara and, a handful of days later, its reconciliation. "
Icardi is a strong player mentally,
”declared Mauricio Pochettino, at the height of this grand-guignolesque telenovela.
“
From the president to the players, including the staff, we are all there to help him,
” added the Argentinian technician.
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And since ?
Pochettino gave him only 140 short minutes in six outings, including a start, in Lens (1-1).
And we can not say that his performance at Bollaert was reassuring ... His record in 2021-22?
17 matches, 746 minutes and three goals, the last dating from September 19 in the victory against Lyon (2-1).
Busy on the site of the "MNM", Pochettino does not seem to see Icardi other than as a joker, to enter at the end of the match.
He always aligned Kylian Mbappé in the axis until the injury of Neymar.
Moreover, the absence of "Ney" does not make Icardi happy, the trio Mbappé-Messi-Di Maria having the favors of "Poche", with a lot of movement and the "Pulga" more or less axial.
“Like all players who have few minutes, he works while waiting for the opportunity to play. "
Mauricio Pochettino
Especially if the former resident of the Masia seems to have his head elsewhere, with his personal stories exposed in broad daylight ... In any case, that's what we are right to think when seeing him lost and ineffective on the meadow.
“
He had a problem but he's fine now,
” corrects Pochettino.
And to continue: “
Like all players who have few minutes, he works while waiting for the opportunity to play.
"
Departure in sight this winter?
An opportunity that is taking so long to come that the rumors of departure are starting to emerge, a few weeks before the transfer window of winter. In fact, this was already the case last summer. Icardi had swept them away with the back of his hand, denouncing "
fake news
". To see if the situation were to change this winter, while he is under contract until 2024. Unlike Di Maria or Marquinhos, Leo Paredes too, there is no question of extension. Not that Paris has a special need for money, although “financial fair play” will come back one day, in one form or another.
There is no doubt that the hypothesis of a departure will be studied, in the event of an interesting offer.
Ditto for Layvin Kurzawa, Thilo Kehrer, Abdou Diallo, Julian Draxler, Rafinha or Sergio Rico.
The Parisian workforce is bloated in some positions and the prospect of the World Cup, in a year, could encourage some to leave the comfort of Paris to find playing time and show themselves in the eyes of their respective coach in order to make the trip to in Qatar.
“Since I was little, I've only lived to score goals and be a goleador. "
Maurco Icardi
A priori, if Mauro Icardi were to leave Paris Saint-Germain, it would in any case not be because of Lionel Messi. The two men have been known to be cold for years. And it has long been said that if Icardi no longer put his feet in selection, it was because of the seven-fold Golden Ball. This big fan of the Argentine legend Gabriel Batistuta would nevertheless have made his comeback with the Albiceleste in recent weeks… if he had not been injured. “
My role is the same as at Inter: to score. This is what matters most to an attacker. It's up to me to show the coach that I can be up to a team like PSG,
”he said in September 2019 for
Le Figaro
. “
Since I was little,i only live to score goals and be a goleador
He added.
A status that he does not seem to find quickly on the banks of the Seine.