Mauro Icardi on PSG Future: 'I Will Do Everything to Stay Here'
Mauro Icardi has said he is eager to remain at Paris Saint-Germain past the end of his loan deal.
The striker joined PSG from Inter Milan on a season-long loan in September, and it was reported the French champions have an option to sign him permanently next summer for €65 million (£59 million).
Icardi, 26, has now made it clear he would like PSG to take up that option, per RMC Sport (h/t MailOnline's Jordan Seward):
"We'll see at the end of the season if I stay. I want to do good things. I've come for that. Obviously playing for a team like PSG is very important. It's one of the best teams in the world. It's a great step in my career. I will do everything to stay here."
It is not a huge surprise Icardi is eager to extend his stay at PSG.
His final days at Inter were dogged by controversy. He was exiled from the side between February and April last season and stripped of the captaincy, over contract negotiations:
Icardi was reintegrated into the side late last term, but then new manager Antonio Conte said soon after his appointment the Argentinian was not in his plans.
The loan to PSG seems to have benefitted all parties, with Icardi in flying form and Inter second in Serie A.
He initially struggled with injury in the French capital, but he has now started in PSG's last six games in all competitions and scored seven goals:
For manager Thomas Tuchel, Icardi has been invaluable while Neymar and Edinson Cavani have been sidelined through injury.
So impressive has the former Sampdoria man been, that he would be difficult to drop even if the whole PSG squad were fit.
That would be quite the achievement given, along with Neymar and Cavani, the French champions boast attacking players like Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria and Julian Draxler.
If Icardi keeps scoring for PSG, it seems inevitable they will take up their option to sign him, not least because Neymar's long-term future at the Parc des Princes remains in serious doubt.
The Brazilian was unable to manufacture a move back to former club Barcelona in the summer, but it seems likely the Blaugrana will return for him in 2020.
