Europe beckons Icardi as Beşiktaş rebuffs the Galatasaray star
After four seasons in which he won four Süper Lig titles and scored 77 goals, Mauro Icardi left Galatasaray without a publicly known destination. His agent has ruled out a return to Argentina, indicating that the Argentine striker is targeting a move within Europe, while a surprise approach from rival Beşiktaş was rebuffed.
According to the Turkish daily Sabah, intermediaries presented Icardi’s name to Beşiktaş’s board, which replied unequivocally: “We are not thinking about anything related to Icardi.” The club’s response left the transfer door firmly shut.
Icardi’s record against the Istanbul side underscores the oddity of the proposal: he netted five goals in seven matches versus Beşiktaş while at Galatasaray. In total he scored eight goals in fifteen encounters against the two major Istanbul rivals, Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe.
Elio Pino, Icardi’s representative, told : “Icardi has no plans to return to Argentina. He wants to continue his career in Europe.” The statement reinforces the player’s focus on a European destination.
In recent hours his name surfaced at several Argentine clubs – Boca Juniors, River Plate, Estudiantes and Platense, which competes in the Copa Libertadores – but the 33‑year‑old has no urgency to sign. Sabah notes that he is waiting for a proposal that meets his expectations, with Serie A side Como currently viewed as the most viable option.
During his four‑year spell in Turkey, Icardi featured in 134 games, scoring 77 goals and providing 25 assists, becoming Galatasaray’s all‑time top foreign scorer. He also collected four consecutive Süper Lig crowns, a Turkish Cup, a Super Cup and the league’s top‑scorer award.
Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek revealed that the club had prepared a farewell ceremony for Icardi and had informed the striker, but no response was received. Fanatik reported that Icardi confided to close friends his disappointment, saying “I did not deserve what they did. I am very disappointed with the president and the coach.”
The player did not post any farewell message on his social channels, a silence interpreted by Turkish football circles as a clear sign of discontent. Galatasaray subsequently issued an official statement confirming the termination of the contract after renewal talks collapsed.