Transfer Mauro Icardi: striker stripping in a disagreement on a contract

Inter has named goalkeeper Samir Handanovic as captain of the club, eliminating star striker Mauro Icardi from the role among persistent transfer rumors.

The Argentine international Icardi has recently been involved in the transfer to Real Madrid, while talks on a new contract in San Siro continue to go wrong.

Icardi's agent and wife, Wanda Nara, insisted that her husband would commit his future to Inter, but speculation is likely to be fueled after the latest announcement of the club.

Wanda said that she believed that Icardi should be offered a much larger salary to reflect its position in European football, while admitting that several major Spanish, English and French clubs had already expressed their interest in him.

The 25-year-old hitman has scored nine goals in 20 Serie A games this season, but will no longer be captain, and Handanovic is expected to take up his post on Thursday in the Europa League.

And after the harbor master's announcement, Icardi's name was notably missing from Inter's squad for his Europa League clash with Rapid Vienna on Thursday, adding further uncertainty as to the future of the scorer in the club.

Icardi is under contract with Inter until 2021, but as Madrid is about to launch a large bid for its services during the next transfer slot, it remains to be seen whether it will still be a Nerazzurri player this summer.

The team of Luciano Spalletti is currently third in Serie A and 20 points of Juventus after 23 matches.

Inter's only hope for the silverware of this term now lies in the Europa League, with a round of 32 confrontations against Rapid Vienna to negotiate from Thursday.

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Icardi should retain his place in the starting lineup before Inter return to Serie A against Sampdoria on Sunday.

The former star of the Barcelona Academy, currently valued at around 90 million euros, is considered by fans and experts as one of the best natural centers in the world.