Tottenham Hotspur would be unable to use Mauro Icardi until January if they choose to sign him in the coming days, according to journalist Tom Barclay.
Tottenham have made a disappointing start to the season following a summer of hope in the transfer market, losing three of their six matches so far in all competitions.
Their only win came against Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month, but one of their most worrying issues is that, aside from the game against the Addicks, they have been largely toothless in front of goal.
Roberto De Zerbi would have been hoping for goals having added Savio, Omar Marmoush, Mykhailo Mudryk and Mateus Fernandes to his squad over the summer, but Spurs are yet to find the net in the Premier League.
They have one final chance to do so before the international break, when they host Unai Emery's Aston Villa in north London on Saturday.
Should they fail to score again, alarm bells will be ringing and there has been a suggestion that they could consider bringing in a free-agent striker.
Dominic Solanke - 180 PL appearances, 40 goals
Omar Marmoush - 40 PL appearances, 10 goals
Richarlison - 276 PL appearances, 75 goals
Indeed, reports from Italy, via Sport Witness, have claimed that Tottenham are interested in signing Icardi, who is available for nothing after leaving Turkish giants Galatasaray following the expiry of his contract at the end of last season.
The player is said to be open to a move as he looks for an ambitious project, having also been linked with joining Lazio in Serie A.
There is one issue though, given Spurs have already submitted their 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the season, as journalist Barclay confirmed via his X account on Thursday morning.
Even if Tottenham signed Icardi now, they wouldn't be able to register him or play him until 2027, which ultimately defeats the purpose of doing any business before January.
Icardi Would be Strong Mid-Season Option
While Tottenham appear unlikely to sign any free-agent now, Icardi could be an interesting option in January if their goalscoring problems continue in the next few months, and he is still available.
The issue around the Argentine striker will always be his very public off-field disputes, but what isn't in dispute is what he can deliver on the pitch.
Icardi is a proven goalscorer and even though he is now 33 years of age, he showed at Galatasaray that he still knows where the goal is.
GIVEMESPORT have written previously that Tottenham made a big mistake not signing a recognised centre-forward in the summer, especially given the fact they now can't use Richarlison, with the Brazilian not registered having failed to secure a move away from the club.
Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke continues to struggle to find any sort of form in a white shirt.
Omar Marmoush doesn't look like being the answer either, and having reportedly been offered Victor Osimhen in the summer and with other strikers like Ivan Toney potentially available, it is the major shortcoming of their impressive summer spend.
Spurs will have to hope that it doesn't prove a fatal blow to their hopes of finishing in the European spots in the Premier League, with another three-and-a-half months until they can rectify it.