Galatasaray President denies Mauro Icardi return rumors

Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek has addressed rumors regarding a potential return of Argentine striker Mauro Icardi to the club. While reports from Argentine media suggested Icardi was willing to lower his salary expectations to rejoin the team, Özbek clarified that a return is not currently part of the club's sporting plans.

Özbek explained that previous negotiations to keep Icardi failed not solely due to financial terms, but because of squad planning. He noted the difficulty of integrating both Icardi and Victor Osimhen into the starting lineup simultaneously. Describing Icardi as an 'icon' who inspired a generation of fans, Özbek stated that the club is instead preparing a farewell ceremony for the player and is awaiting his response to the proposal.

Reports indicate that Icardi, who has been without a club since July, has expressed a desire to return to the Süper Lig and may be willing to negotiate a significantly lower annual salary, potentially between 2 and 3.5 million euros. Some reports also suggest his desire to return to Istanbul is linked to personal matters regarding his daughters.