Icardi: 'At PSG to win trophies'

By Football Italia staff

Mauro Icardi said he left Inter for Paris Saint-Germain because “the time had come for me to join a winning club, one that could win titles.”

The striker finally completed his move to PSG on deadline day, on loan with option to buy for a reported €65m, after months of tension at San Siro.

“I came here to play,” Icardi told Canal Plus in France.

“If you arrive with an option to buy, you know the player has to give his best to ensure the club decides to purchase him outright. We’ll see what happens next summer.

“I was in my seventh year at Inter and my dream was to play in the Champions League with Inter, which I did last season, but we never won anything.

“I thought the time had come for me to go to a winning club, one that could challenge for and win titles. It’s time for me to start winning.

“The truth is that PSG is a squad full of champions and that is what I wanted.”

Antonio Conte and last season Luciano Spalletti complained Icardi was an excellent goal poacher, but didn’t play well with his teammates.

“People call me a ‘killer’ in the penalty area. I am always ready in the box to score goals. Ever since my debut when very young for Rosario, my objective and obsession has always been to score goals.”

Icardi’s wife and agent, Wanda Nara, was often blamed for the tension with Inter, not to mention with other players.

They are married with two children together, but also live with the three children she had with her ex-husband – and Icardi’s former teammate – Maxi Lopez.

“I’ve been with Wanda for seven years now, she is a famous personality and so am I, so we are fully aware of what that entails. That doesn’t change the way I think or play, otherwise I wouldn’t have scored 150 goals with Inter.

“I realise it’s a taboo that she was married to my former teammate, but we fell in love and you don’t choose who you fall in love with!

“I think having Wanda as my agent is the best decision for my family and my career. I didn’t think twice about it. I am someone who treats men and women the same way. I have three sons and two daughters, but I treat them the same way and give them the same gifts.”

There are also, of course, the long-running rumours that Lionel Messi doesn’t want Icardi in the Argentina squad, partly because he is such good friends with Maxi Lopez.

“I have played with Messi, I knew him back from when I was at the Barcelona academy many years ago. I know him and I don’t think it’s true, but I can’t stop people saying it. I appreciate him a great deal and I doubt it’s true.”

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