Icardi-Napoli move cools over fitness and wages

The Argentine striker, a free agent after leaving Galatasaray, was offered to Napoli in August, but the move never got going and the file has been shelved for now.

by Rosaria CimminoMonday 28 September, 15:25 CET· 3 hours ago

Icardi-Napoli, la pista si raffredda: pesano forma fisica e ingaggio — Grafica Arena Napoli

The Mauro Icardi move to Napoli has cooled. The striker, a free agent after his spell at Galatasaray ended, was offered to the Naples club in August, but the deal never took off as the club turned to other options, from Gabriel Jesus — who later signed for Barcelona — to Lorenzo Lucca, signed from Udinese for €35m.

Two concrete factors weigh on Napoli's doubts: Icardi would need around a month, maybe a month and a half, of work to reach fitness, and he commands a significant salary. It is not a registration-list issue, since those can always be adjusted, but rather one of finding him a spot once he is ready, in place of another forward already in the squad.

The idea has not been dropped entirely and could resurface in January, when the transfer window reopens (2 January-2 February 2027), particularly if there is a departure in the forward line: Lucca remains under discussion after his summer arrival, with a fresh loan move being considered. For now, though, the Icardi trail remains cold.