05/31/20 10:43:00
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05/31 10:42 CDT Icardi's arrival at PSG could push Cavani to look elsewhere
Icardi's arrival at PSG could push Cavani to look elsewhere
By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer
PARIS (AP) --- Prolific striker Mauro Icardi's arrival at French champion Paris
Saint-Germain on a four-year deal raises doubts as to record scorer Edinson
Cavani's future at the club.
Icardi joined PSG on a season's loan and had impressed with 20 goals in 31
games when the league season was stopped because of the coronavirus pandemic.
His convincing performances pushed him ahead of Cavani in coach Thomas Tuchel's
attacking hierarchy.
Cavani is PSG's all-time record scorer with 200 goals in 300 games and remains
a huge fan favorite, but the 33-year-old Uruguay striker is one of several
players whose contracts are running out this season.
PSG took up its option to buy the 27-year-old Icardi and gave him a contract
until June 2024.
Given Icardi's relative youth, and the easy way he combined with Kylian Mbapp,
Neymar and Angel Di Mara in attack, it may prove increasingly hard for Cavani
to get games if he signs a new contract.
Cavani was linked with a move to Atltico Madrid during the January transfer
window but PSG reportedly turned down an offer of 15 million euros from the
Spanish club.
No financial details were given by PSG about how much Icardi cost, but Italian
media reported the transfer as costing 50 million euros ($55.5 million) with
additional bonuses.
The prolific Icardi netted 124 goals in 219 games for Inter but his spell there
ended amid a bitter falling out.
Many observers were circumspect when he joined PSG on loan at the end of the
summer transfer window.
But he took to French soccer quickly and used his excellent first touch,
elusive movement off the ball and ice-cool finishing to contribute 12 league
goals, one fewer than Neymar.
Icardi and Mbapp combined particularly well, reading each other's runs in
attack and taking their chances efficiently.
The French league was ended with 10 rounds remaining after the government
called off domestic competitions at the end of April, but PSG remains in
contention to win the Champions League for the first time after reaching the
quarterfinals.
The Champions League is set to be completed in late summer.
If so, those games could prove to be Cavani's last for the club he joined as a
then-record signing of 64 million euros ($71 million) in 2013.
After initially struggling to win over fans who compared him to Zlatan
Ibrahimovic and mocked his erratic finishing, he won them over and became
widely appreciated for his work ethic and team spirit.
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