Inter Milan has announced that striker Mauro Icardi will not participate in the club's upcoming preseason tour in Asia. The statement of the Nerazzurri comes on the back of claims that the Argentine forward is on the verge of securing a switch to Serie A rivals Juventus.
Icardi's days as the main striker for the men in blue and black is indeed nearing its end as he has mostly been on the fringes in recent months. The 26-year-old striker was at the center of a host of controversies last season, subsequently losing his captaincy as a repercussion for the tension that arose in camp while his team fought for a qualification berth in the UEFA Champions League.
With Inter Milan finding his potential replacement in Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku, Icardi is expected to seal a move elsewhere and Serie A champions Juventus are reportedly keen on him. According to reports from Italy, the Bianconeri will seek to test the resolve of their rivals with an offer of €20 million and Moise Kean in exchange for the wantaway forward despite his €60 million valuation. The likes of Atletico Madrid, AS Roma, and Napoli are also reportedly keen on the signing of the former Nerazzurri skipper.
Nevertheless, ahead of his imminent switch, Icardi will have to stay in shape away from his current teammates with the Nerazzurri confirming his departure from the club's training base in Lugano. As per the tweet posted by the Giuseppe Meazza outfit on Saturday, the decision was reached via mutual consensus.
In Asia, Inter Milan will play against Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Icardi's likely new club Juventus.
.@MauroIcardi will today return to Milan from our training camp in Lugano. The club and the striker have come to this decision by mutual agreement. Icardi will continue his pre-season training over the next few days and will take no part in our Summer Tour in Asia.#FCIM
— Inter (@Inter_en) July 13, 2019
