Mauro Icardi could be heading to Chelsea if desperate Inter are forced to cash in on ‘new Ronaldo’
Uefa are preparing to sanction the Serie A club for breaching financial fair play regulations unless they can come up with £44million by the end of June
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CHELSEA have been given encouragement in their pursuit of Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi.
Uefa are threatening to impose Financial Fair Play sanctions on the Serie A club if they do not balance their books before the end of June.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the San Siro club need £44million to avoid any punishment, which could range from a fine to a ban from European competition.
And in order to raise those funds they could offload a handful of senior players, including Argentina international Icardi.
The 25-year-old has long been a target for the Blues.
He has already struck ten goals in 13 appearances during the 2018-19 campaign, including in the Champions League win over Chelsea's London rivals Tottenham.
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Geoffrey Kondogbia completed his permanent move to Valencia in the summer but the club still find themselves needing a cash injection to appease European football's governing body.
Historically, the club have generated funds from the sales of young players - in order to keep their stars - but the immediate need for money could force their hand.
Icardi's release clause reportedly stands at £97.5million though their need to sell is likely to lead to them accepting a bid significantly lower.
Manchester United have also been noted with an interest in the ex-Sampdoria hitman, who is also the Nerazzurri's club captain.
Despite having Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud in their ranks Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis - who worked with Maurizio Sarri for three years at the Stadio San Paolo - feels he could become the "new Ronaldo" at Stamford Bridge.
The eccentric De Laurentiis told the media:“I offered £55-60m, I do not remember. I met his wife, very nice.
“We spent an afternoon together, we negotiated a potential contract.
“Icardi is a champion, he could become a new Ronaldo, in the hands of Sarri he could make 40 goals."
Icardi's attention this week is on Argentina's international double header against Mexico and he is expected to lead an attack which will be without Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, or Gonzalo Higuain.
Despite his exploits for his club, Icardi is yet to register for his country in any of his six appearances.
But the striker knows he must start to hit the goal trail if he is to impress in time for next year's Copa America and the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
He said: “I'm calm. It's obvious that my goal is to try to score, I'm a striker, but here in the national team I'm giving my best, and then also at Inter it happened this year at the beginning but I always find myself ready in the area, I'm confident.
“Wearing the Argentina shirt is the best thing, there are no words, the dream I have since I was a child. I want to do well to get to the World Cup in Qatar, but first we have to think about the America's Cup.”
