Former Galatasaray striker Mauro Icardi has been offered to Everton as a free agent, though no formal talks have been confirmed between the clubs. The 31-year-old Argentina international is currently without a club following his departure from the Turkish giants in June 2026, after a contract dispute regarding a proposed reduction of his €10m annual salary. Reports from Argentina, corroborated by Read Everton, suggest the striker is open to an immediate move to Goodison Park to help ease the club's acute attacking shortage.
Everton's squad depth and registration rules
Everton are actively assessing the free agent market after a challenging transfer window left the squad light on numbers. Premier League rules permit clubs to sign and register out-of-contract players outside the transfer window, provided they have vacant slots in their squad list. Following several summer departures, manager David Moyes confirmed he has a "really small" senior squad at his disposal, with Everton currently having only 19 registered senior players, leaving plenty of room to accommodate new arrivals. At present, summer signing Thierno Barry remains Everton's only recognised senior No.9, highlighting the tactical need for reinforcement.
Conflicting retirement claims cloud Icardi's status
Despite his pedigree, which includes 250 career goals across spells with Sampdoria, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and Galatasaray, any potential move is complicated by uncertainty over his current plans. A report from Turkish outlet Aykırı claims that Icardi has stopped individual training and is strongly considering retirement. Further reports suggest he is also attracting interest from Mexican club Tigres. David Moyes, speaking on the club's strategy, said: "We’re looking at the free agents’ market, but I want a team that can be at the top end and can challenge.” Everton will monitor the forward's situation before deciding whether to progress with a formal contract offer.
