Galatasaray leaning toward buying Mauri Icardi

Mauro Icardi has been on a tear this season while on loan at Galatasaray from PSG. Approaching the end of his loan spell in Turkey, everything points toward the Turkish club wanting to hold onto him for good by buying him straight from Paris Saint-Germain by the end of June.

Last summer, PSG decided to lighten their squad by sending players out on loan. However, only a couple of players managed to make the most of this opportunity and revive their careers, with all of the rest most probably returning to Paris next July and expected to move on to different teams throughout the summer.

One of the successful stories belongs to Eric Dina Ebimbe, who made a permanent move to Germany's side Eintracht Frankfurt for €6.5m as both clubs announced on Tuesday, May 30th. The other player is none other than Argentina international Mauro Icardi.

The striker had fallen out of favor at PSG but found his scoring touch once again at Galatasaray, scoring goals in bunches and getting all of the love from the supporters of the Orange and Red club from Istanbul.

Icardi has played a crucial role in helping Galatasaray clinch the Super Lig title. He scored an impressive 21 goals and provided 7 assists in the Turkish league. The fans adore him, and Icardi himself has expressed his desire to continue his adventure in Turkey.

A few days ago, Icardi said that he "really wants to stay in Istanbul," adding that while he was in Paris, he "was with some of the best players in the world, but I didn't feel the same connection with the fans."

Icardi has also stated that in Istanbul, he "can see the genuine interest and support for me," making it clear that he'd love to stay in the Turkish capital.

According to Turkish sources, Galatasaray's vice-president, Erden Timur, has already had talks with PSG about a permanent transfer for the 30-year-old striker. Icardi is still under contract with PSG until June 2024.

However, as reported by Le Parisien, the financial aspect will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of this deal. Galatasaray's leaders are reportedly willing to make significant financial efforts, potentially shelling out around €10m to secure Icardi's services but nothing above that figure, which might be low for the PSG board to green-light the sale.

With their championship win, Galatasaray has secured direct qualification for the next Champions League. Whether Icardi returns to France and plays at PSG or stays in Turkey, he knows he will be playing top-tier football next season for the current champions of their respective leagues.

Not the worst pair of options, indeed.