30-year-old Argentine star joins Turkish giants Galatasaray from PSG
Mauro Icardi has completed a permanent move to Turkish giants Galatasaray from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), as tweeted by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
After spending the previous season on loan at the Turkish club, Icardi has completed a permanent move away from the Parisians for €10 million.
Icardi, 30, played 92 games at the Parisians, scoring 38 goals and providing ten assists, across competitions. His stint in the French capital, though, comes to an end as he continues his journey in Turkish football.
The Argentina international made 26 appearances for Galatasaray last season and scored 23 goals along with providing eight assists. The Turkish side have Nicolo Zaniolo in their ranks, and Wilfried Zaha has also joined.
Icardi's move from PSG was in doubt for a while, and Galatasaray were eyeing Joaquin Correa of Inter Milan as a potential replacement. The former Inter Milan ace, though, has pledged his future to the Turkish club.
How Luis Enrique reacted to PSG's defeat against Cerezo Osaka?
PSG suffered a shock 3-2 defeat against Cerezo Osaka in a pre-season game on Friday (July 28) during their ongoing Japan tour. It marked the second straight game the Parisians have gone winless after only managing a goalless draw against Al-Nassr in their previous game.
While the Parisians are looking to re-build under new coach Luis Enrique, their performances haven't been up to the mark. Enrique reacted to the defeat against Cerezo, telling the club's media:
"We are responsible for the 5 goals in tonight's game. I am fully convinced that to play good football, we need a structure of play, which gives the most possibilities to keep possession of the ball. But the players also have to make decisions."
Youngster Warren Zaire-Emery said about Enrique:
"The coach is very involved. He has a very attacking style of play, and he gives us advice every day to succeed. We try to apply his advice and instructions as quickly as possible."
After a rather underwhelming 2022-23 campaign under Christophe Galtier - where they faltered again in the UEFA Champions League - the reigning Ligue 1 champions appointed Luis Enrique as the new manager. Despite the Spaniard's well-documented managerial prowess, the club are yet to hit their best form.