In Istanbul, Mauro Icardi’s chapter with Galatasaray has closed, but the Argentine forward has made clear that he sees no urgency in choosing the next stop of his career. The 33-year-old is without a club after his contract expired, following three and a half seasons in Türkiye.
Icardi used social media to answer criticism of his current situation, presenting his time away from a contract as a personal choice rather than a problem. The former Barcelona academy player said he had worked to control his own time and secure his future.
Quick facts
- Mauro Icardi is 33 and currently has no club.
- His Galatasaray spell lasted three and a half seasons.
- He won three Turkish Super Lig titles, one Turkish Cup and one Turkish Super Cup with the Istanbul side.
- Icardi says he has the freedom to decide his next move.
In his message, Icardi argued that observers were confusing being out of work with financial difficulty, and mistaking the absence of a contract for a lack of opportunities. He described his position as stable and said he had already achieved what he needed.
The striker also told those concerned about him to live calmly and peacefully, adding that his life would remain unchanged even if he stopped playing. No destination or prospective club was named in his post.
His departure leaves Galatasaray without one of the defining figures of their recent domestic success. Across his stay in Istanbul, Icardi collected five trophies, including three league championships, before entering the market as a free agent.
