Icardi’s salary gap: from €10 m in Turkey to free‑agent limbo
Argentine striker Mauro Icardi remains without a club as the European market nears its close, after a failed salary negotiation with Lazio. While the 33‑year‑old set his price at €5 million, his partner China Suárez has already emptied their Istanbul home in Turquía, underscoring a stark personal and professional contrast that reaches back to his lucrative Sudamérica‑linked earnings.
Failed Lazio talks over salary
Lazio’s Roman squad offered Icardi around €2.5 million per year, far below the Argentine’s €5 million demand. Fabrizio Romano reported the economic gap as “very large” and said the club’s initiative “ended without results”. The deal collapsed, leaving Icardi a free agent.
At Galatasaray, Icardi earned close to €10 million net per season, a figure that highlights the disparity with Lazio’s offer. During his spell he recorded 77 goals, 25 assists and four Süper Lig titles in 134 matches,
Following his departure, Icardi expressed disappointment, saying he “didn’t deserve what they did to me” and was “very disappointed with the president and the coach”. He posted no farewell on social media, and his silence continued with his next move.
Turkish journalist Yakup Çınar noted that Icardi and China Suárez completely vacated the mansion they shared in Istanbul, sending their belongings back to Italy. Çınar added that Icardi is “seriously hurt and angry, so he does not post”, and doubts the Lazio deal could be revived while the current board remains.
Future options across continents
Other suitors have emerged: Olympiacos of Greece was rejected, Besiktas received an offer that produced no result, and Como showed interest without a concrete proposal. Romano said Icardi is “evaluating very juicy offers in Sudamérica and Mexico”, while keeping “new Italian scenarios” open.
Brazilian side Vasco da Gama has been linked, though the contract value remains unclear and would involve no transfer fee. Vasco recently added fellow Argentines Santiago Sosa and Facundo Colidio, while battling a precarious Brasileirao campaign with 22 points, sitting second‑last and only two points above the relegation zone, alongside a Copa Sudamericana run.
Meanwhile, Senegalese striker Bamba Dieng travelled to Rome for a medical with Lazio on Thursday, but the tests were unsatisfactory, leading to his move to Red Star Belgrade (Estrella Roja de Belgrado). The episode underscores the widening gulf between Icardi’s past earnings and his current market reality.