Goal drought prompts Icardi interest
Tottenham are weighing up a surprise move for Icardi as they struggle to find the back of the net in the Premier League. The North London side have endured a difficult start to the domestic campaign under De Zerbi, failing to score a single goal in their opening four league fixtures.
According to reports from Cronache di Spogliatoio, the 33-year-old Argentine is being considered as a short-term solution to Spurs' offensive woes. Icardi is available for free after ending his four-year tenure with Galatasaray, where he enjoyed a prolific spell in the Super Lig.
Struggling forwards and expensive signings
The interest in Icardi comes despite a summer of heavy investment at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The club spent significantly to bolster the squad, bringing in Sandro Tonali for £100 million, Mateus Fernandes for £85 million, and winger Savio for another £85 million. They also secured Omar Marmoush on loan from Manchester City in a deal that includes a £60 million obligation to buy. However, the Egypt international has yet to open his account despite starting against Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and in the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool - where he showed glimpses of quality but failed to find the net.
Furthermore, Dominic Solanke has failed to justify his selection in terms of output, going scoreless in his first five appearances for the club. The attacking crisis is compounded by the situation surrounding Richarlison. The Brazilian forward has been exiled from the first-team picture following a disastrous fallout with the club and has not featured since a 3-0 opening-day defeat to Brentford.
Competition and financial hurdles
While Tottenham are monitoring the situation, they are not the only club linked with the experienced forward. Journalist Nahuel Ferreira reports that Greek giants Olympiacos have already made 'formal contacts' to close a deal for the former Argentina international last week. However, no agreement has been reached yet, largely due to the striker's significant wage demands, with Icardi reportedly earning around £8.6m per year.
Throughout his career, Icardi has lifted numerous trophies, most notably securing two Ligue 1 titles during his time with Paris Saint-Germain alongside four Super Lig crowns with Galatasaray.
De Zerbi seeks urgent solutions
The pressure is mounting on De Zerbi to fix a Tottenham side that looks disjointed and devoid of confidence in the final third. Spurs currently sit 17th in the Premier League table after collecting just two points from two draws and two losses, while conceding eight goals in the process. While their Carabao Cup campaign began with a promising 5-1 victory over Charlton Athletic, their midweek exit at the hands of Liverpool highlighted the gap between Spurs and the league's top contenders.