Mysterious Bigwig Visits Inter Headquarters Sparking Speculations: Icardi’s Return? Three Potential Positive Outcomes

Every summer, a group of Italian journalists becomes part of the "stakeout brigade" – reporters who camp outside the headquarters of major clubs, trying to gauge transfer activities based on the visitors. Yesterday, the journalists stationed outside Inter Milan's headquarters in the Libertà district got their much-anticipated scoop. Giorgio Gardi, the founder and owner of the Gardi agency, known for orchestrating significant transfers like those of Elmas, Mertens, Torreira, Zaniolo, Ndombele, Ziyech, Schuurs, Zahavi, and collaborating well with former Paris manager Leonardo, visited Inter's headquarters. Gardi, who is also currently Mauro Icardi's partner, was responsible for taking the former Inter captain to Turkey, helping him out of a career slump.

Gardi's visit to Inter’s headquarters has led to rampant speculation about possible transactions between Inter and Turkish clubs. Could this visit signal the potential return of Icardi to Inter? This possibility has sparked significant discussion, as the forward position remains a focal point for Inter fans. Some tacticians suggest that Inter currently lacks a forward with precise finishing skills, which could improve their "winning capability" in crucial moments – the underlying logic for the buzz about Icardi’s return. While the exact nature of Gardi’s discussions with Inter’s managers remains unknown, Italian journalists close to the team suggest that there is currently no indication that Inter is pursuing Icardi's return. Instead, Gardi’s visit might concern three other players: Joaquin Correa, Ionut Radu, and Marko Arnautovic.

Correa has become a new headache for Inter. On loan at Marseille, his performance has been underwhelming, and Inter has clearly communicated to the Argentine forward that he is not in their plans for next season. Correa, currently vacationing in Argentina, has had contact with Estudiantes and River Plate. However, given Argentina's economic situation and currency devaluation, it is difficult to expect Argentine clubs to offer a transfer fee or match his salary demands. Correa still holds considerable amortization value for Inter, and releasing him for free would inevitably result in financial losses on their balance sheet. If a Turkish club is willing to take Correa, it would undoubtedly be a welcome development for Inter. Even breaking even seems unlikely, but mitigating losses is still beneficial.

Then there is Radu. In the past two seasons, the Romanian goalkeeper has been loaned to Cremonese, Auxerre, and Bournemouth, but he has not managed to secure a permanent move. This season, he made five appearances in the Premier League and cup competitions for Bournemouth, conceding 11 goals. He will return to Inter on June 30. With his contract expiring in the summer of 2025, finding a new club for him is also a concern for Inter. If a Turkish team expresses interest in Radu, it would solve another significant problem for Inter.

Arnautovic's situation also fuels numerous rumors. After the season ended, the Austrian forward expressed his desire to stay at Inter. However, if Inter plans to strengthen their forward line, they might consider offloading Arnautovic to create space. Fiorentina, among others, has shown interest, although no formal moves have been made yet. For the past six months, there have been rumors of Turkish clubs being interested in Arnautovic, and Gardi's visit has added fuel to these speculations.

In conclusion, if a Turkish club can take on Correa, Radu, or Arnautovic under relatively favorable terms, it would be a welcome outcome for Inter. Any successful negotiation involving these players would be good news for the club. However, one meeting is not enough to draw definitive conclusions, so it is wise to wait for further developments. Inter will hold an internal summit between the transfer and coaching departments on Thursday to outline their summer market strategy and squad planning for next season. Ahead of this summit, the managers will undoubtedly be in touch with various agents to fully understand the market dynamics. At this stage, rumors are rampant, which is normal. We should closely monitor the situation. However, there is no need to jump to conclusions just yet.