Mauro Icardi's Wife Claims Tottenham and Arsenal Went Head to Head for Striker's Signature
"?As per Gazzetta dello Sport, the wife and agent of highly sought-after Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi has revealed how local rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal battled for the Argentian's signature during the summer transfer window.
Both Mauricio Pochettino and Arsene Wenger were in the market to provide competition for respective first picks Harry Kane and Olivier Giroud, and Wanda Nara has lifted the lid on the extent to which the North London club's attempted to snare Icardi.
"[Inter sporting director] Piero Ausillo had asked me to take any offers from clubs [for Icardi] to him, so I went with those of Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Juventus.
''There was also Tottenham too, but they went directly to Piero."
She also revealed that Icardi's commitment has always been to Inter, and told of how she secured his new contract.
"The first day of the transfer market, I called Piero, and said 'do you remember the promise [of a new contract] last year?"
"He said, 'Wanda, I hear you'. At that point, I demanded the truth. Mauro has to stay or leave. Because there are so many offers."
Although Nara did not expressly mention Arsenal, it is thought that the Gunners had agreed terms with Icardi himself and would have been in pole position to land their man, if Inter had decided to sell.
In the end, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger finalised a deal for 28-year-old Lucas Perez, with just five days of the transfer window remaining, but a more convincing solution to his striking problem has come from the form of Alexis Sanchez in the centre-forward position.
Meanwhile, local rivals Tottenham appeared to give up on Icardi much sooner, securing a £17m deal for Dutch front man Vincent Janssen in mid-July.
The 22-year-old was brought in to provide back-up to Spurs talisman Harry Kane, but has found himself thrust into the limelight after the England forward was sidelined by an ankle injury sustained against Sunderland last month.
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