Following the end of his contract with Galatasaray Istanbul, Mauro Icardi is currently without a club. Could he soon be wearing the shirt of a former club again?

In an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the Argentine striker said he is considering a return to Serie A with former club Inter Milan. "Do I dream of returning to Inter? It would be something special. I had important years there, wore the captain's armband and identified with that shirt," the 33-year-old replied when asked about a possible comeback.

His departure from Inter Milan had been "painful", he said, and he would "like to close the circle in a different way". He added: "But a return only makes sense if we both believe in each other and pursue a common goal. I still have a lot to give: if I return, it will be to contribute and to win."

What led to the rift between Inter Milan and Mauro Icardi?

Amid a dispute in late summer 2019, Icardi left Inter and initially joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan. A year later, the French club made the move permanent, signing the striker for €50 million. He moved to Galatasaray Istanbul in 2022, where he was under contract until last summer. He is currently without a club.

Inter stripped Icardi of the captaincy at the start of the second half of the 2018/19 season and handed it to long-serving first-choice goalkeeper Samir Handanovic. He faced accusations that he had failed to make his commitment to the club clear and lacked the squad's support.

At the time, transfer rumours also surrounded him, with Real Madrid, for example, reportedly interested in signing him. That was another reason Icardi was suspended for nine matches until early April 2019. He only returned to the team later.

Antonio Conte took charge in Milan in summer 2019 and immediately left the Argentine out of his plans. Icardi fled to Paris, where he once again played regularly.

After leaving Galatasaray before the current season, Icardi said he had deliberately taken time to consider all his options: "I received offers, but preferred to wait rather than accept a project I was not completely convinced by." He has not yet made a final decision about his future.