Wanda Nara is the reason why Real Madrid did not sign Icardi Football Behaviour of the Argentine agent scared Los Blancos away from a potential deal

Inter's season has been rocked by the developing situation involving Mauro Icardi and his wife-turned-agent, Wanda Nara, with it actually being the Argentine media personality the reason why Real Madrid did not sign the forward.

Icardi has been perennially linked with a move to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu as his performances in Serie A have improved, yet Los Blancos have repeatedly rebuffed such links due to a concern over the behaviour of his agent.

Her combative attitude to contract negotiations has left those in power at the Nerazzurri exasperated, and this came to a head when the Italian club released an official statement making clear Icardi had been stripped of his captaincy, with Samir Handanovic taking over on a permanent basis.

As well as the difficult nature of contract extension talks, the Milan club have been left livid by Wanda's rather public criticisms of their transfer policy, as well as style on the pitch.

After being informed that he had been stripped of the captaincy, Icardi then refused to travel to Vienna for the club's Europa League tie on Thursday.

January 2018 was a time when Los Merengues seriously considered making an offer for the Argentine goal-scorer, yet they now believe their decision to park negotiations as a direct result of Wanda's behaviour has been vindicated.

Icardi's teammates have also been left chagrined by criticisms aimed at them on television from the agent, and this has damaged dressing room harmony as Inter desperately fight for Champions League qualification.

Marcelo Brozovic publicly backed the decision to remove the former Sampdoria forward as captain via his Instagram, and the situation is a tense one which the European champions are delighted to have avoided, especially with Karim Benzema playing his best football in years.