Mauro Icardi: Everton's Potential New Striker
Everton are weighing up a move for Mauro Icardi as David Moyes hunts desperately for a proven goalscorer to lead his attack.
With the transfer window closed and only Thierno Barry available as a natural centre-forward in the senior squad, the club’s recruitment team at Hill Dickinson Stadium have turned to the free-agent market. Icardi, 33 and out of contract after leaving Galatasaray at the end of the 2025-26 season, has quickly moved towards the top of that list.
The Argentine built his reputation at Inter Milan and later led the line for Paris Saint-Germain, but has never played in England. That could change within weeks.
Icardi offered to Everton
According to TyC Sports journalist German Garcia Grova, speaking on 7 September, Icardi has been formally offered to Everton. His representatives are understood to be open to a move to Merseyside, with the player looking for his next challenge after his spell in Turkey.
Everton’s need is obvious. A deadline-day deal for Folarin Balogun collapsed, leaving Moyes without the extra number nine he had demanded. The club have since pivoted towards the pool of free agents, and Icardi is one of the most high-profile names available.
Last season, he scored 16 goals in all competitions for Galatasaray, often used from the bench with Victor Osimhen preferred as the starting striker in the Super Lig. Even in a reduced role, he continued to do what he has always done best: finish.
Why Moyes is tempted
Icardi is no longer at his explosive peak, but his numbers still command respect. In the Super Lig last season he struck 14 league goals, posting a 24 per cent conversion rate and outperforming an expected goals figure of 10.53, according to Sofascore. When chances dropped in the box, he punished teams.
He also showed he can still operate at a high level, facing the likes of Liverpool and Juventus in the Champions League. The intensity of those nights is a world away from a routine league fixture, yet Icardi still found ways to influence games. That matters to a club that expects its centre-forward to cope with the pressure and scrutiny that come with playing in L3.
Moyes does not need a sprinter or a dribbler. He needs a penalty-box predator. Icardi, even at 33, fits that description. He does not bring blistering pace or showy flair, but he offers elite movement in the area, clever positioning, and a ruthless streak in front of goal.
Pressure on Barry, pressure on Everton
Barry remains a long-term project. The young striker is still learning the craft of leading the line in the Premier League and has been wasteful in recent matches. That is hardly a surprise for a developing forward, but it leaves Moyes short of reliable end product right now.
An experienced finisher like Icardi would instantly change the dynamic. He could take the weight off Barry, sharpen Everton’s threat in tight games, and give Moyes a late-game option off the bench or a starting focal point depending on fitness and form.
The dilemma is timing. Do Everton move now, bringing in Icardi as a free agent to address an obvious weakness, or do they hold their nerve until January and chase younger, longer-term targets in the market?
For a club that has too often lacked goals when it mattered, that decision may define the first half of their season.
