Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar wanted PSG to get rid of 'problematic' star in the summer: Reports
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forwards Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar, all wanted the club to get rid of Mauro Icardi during the summer, according to El Nacional.
The trio and Marquinhos went to the club board to request for Icardi's exit, as the star's private life provided consistent tales for the press. The Catalan outlet also reported that PSG manager Christophe Galtier also wished for an exit for Icardi, which club boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi supported.
However, finding Icardi a new home to ply his trade was a rather difficult quest, with clubs unwilling to acquire the services of the former Inter Milan striker. Luis Campos was asked to handle the situation, and the PSG director reached out to Real Madrid and Barcelona, among other clubs.
Mauro Icardi situation, per @bocaficion2
- Not in the Galatasaray squad for today's match (not suspended, not injured).
- 2 days ago he and Wanda unfollowed each other.
- a transexual model claims she is in a relationship with him and leaks messages https://t.co/K7jgfbOLO2
While the Madridistas were on the lookout for a backup striker to Karim Benzema, they had no intentions of bringing in Icardi. Florentino Perez did not consider him and Carlo Ancelotti was said to have vetoed the idea of signing the Parisian forward.
In the Blaugrana's case, they were trying to sell off attackers, rather than bring in new ones. Like their eternal rivals, Barca were also concerned about dealing with Icardi's 'problematic' private life.
Mauro Icardi joins Galatasaray on loan for the season 🇦🇷 https://t.co/HJNf0hQZ3k
Eventually, PSG found a new home for Icardi in Turkey, with the 29-year-old moving to Galatasaray on loan. However, El Nacional stated that the Turkish giants are fed up with the striker and "they want to cancel the loan agreement."
PSG and Real Madrid are now considered public enemies: Report
The refusal to sign Icardi at the Bernabeu could also have been due to another factor: animosity between the French and Spanish giants.
Despite enjoying an initially close relationship, Real Madrid and PSG have turned out to be public enemies in European football. According to Marca, a few situations have contributed to the animosity between the European super clubs.
One of the first and most obvious causes for animosity between the clubs is the European Super League debacle. Fiorentino Perez led the attempted formation of a breakaway league starring some of the continent's biggest clubs but the Parisians sided with UEFA in the affair.
As a reward for his loyalty to the governing body, PSG president Nasser Al-Kheleifi is now the chairman of the European Club Association. He now has a strained relationship with the Madrid hierarchy that masterminded the breakaway.
Clashes between both club’s ultras during a meeting in 2018 also worsened the relationship and served as a sticking point to drive the difference between the two sides.
Finally, the proposed move for Kylian Mbappe by Los Blancos and the situation surrounding his contract extension created an irredeemable rift between the two capital clubs.
Real Madrid will not be put off by the prospect of a high-profile rival. The Parisians will also fancy their chances as they look set to square off against the Spanish juggernaut for European domination in the coming years.