Would Arsenal or Spurs be a better destination for Inter hitman Mauro Icardi?

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North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are potentially on the bring of a bidding war over Inter Milan star Mauro Icardi, after his wife and agent Wanda Nara claimed the Premier League sides were interested in acquiring his services, igniting further speculation bout the 23-year old ‘ s future at the San Siro.

The Inter Milan skipper has notched 38 Serie A goals in 69 league appearances for the Nerazzurri in the past two seasons, sharing the Capocannoniere award of 2014-15 for leading scorer with Hellas Verona’s Luca Toni. A transfer looks increasingly likely with the Inter board doing little to cool the rumours, but how would he benefit Arsenal or Tottenham and what exactly would he bring to either team?

Arsenal may seem the more likely destination for the player after Tottenham  finalised the signing of AZ Alkmaar’s Vincent Janssen for £18m, who is expected to deputise spearhead Harry Kane. Though Icardi is a different style of striker who would compliment Spurs should they opt to bring him in.

Icardi has been dubbed El Niño del partido, and O cañito, both hinting towards his pace tactical awareness and physical presence. Icardi is also has proficient technique and an eye for goal, often choosing to play off his teammates in attack. He offers a different dimension to the spearhead qualities of Harry Kane and new signing Janssen, whose strengths are centred around finishing in the danger area and exceptional hold up play.

Icardi in comparison is a flair option, and his movement gives defenders something different to think about as he has a knack for pulling players out of position and times his runs accurately, a quality lacking in Janssen, who has drawn comparisons to Ruud Van Nistelrooy due to his influence in the penalty area rather than further down the pitch. Icardi’s link up play would surely benefit from playing with a target man up front, and his playing attributes would render him an ideal strike partner for either Kane or Janssen if Pochettino were to change tact and opt to start two forwards going into next season. His goal tally in Italy suggests that he would also provide Spurs with another outlet to relieve the pressure on Harry Kane as the club’s main source of goals.

Arsenal in comparison could do with a player like Icardi to offer a different dimension of their own. They monitored the Inter skipper in the latter months of last season and a bid may not be far away from the Emirates Stadium outfit.

Arsenal already have a spearhead striker in Olivier Giroud who is good in the air and can benefit the side with his hold up play. But ever since the departure of the mercurial Thierry Henry, the Gunners have lacked a prolific goalscorer whose pace, link up play, strength and potency up front has really worried opposition defenders bar Robin Van Persie’s exceptional form in 2011-12 having been far too susceptible to injuries in the past. The equally injury prone Danny Welbeck has thus far failed to remedy the situation for Arsene Wenger’s side, and Joel Campbell is often deployed out wide and thus rendered ineffective as a goal source.

Turning to Icardi would add a fresh option to Arsenal’s forward line, and the side has lacked such a style of striker for a number of seasons. He is likely to feed well of Giroud and with the creativity of Mesut Özil, Joel Campbell, Danny Welbeck et al in attack, he could be expected to bed in well to Arsenal’s pass and move, dynamic style of play and provide a source of goals alternative to Olivier Giroud that has been desperately needed at the Emirates since the departure of Van Persie.

What is for certain is that securing Icardi would be of great benefit to either club and he can be expected to thrive at both the Emirates and White Hart Lane. Which club will make their move remains to be seen, and with Juventus one of a host of top clubs interested as they look to replace Alvaro Morata after his return to the Bernabeu, the North London sides would do well to act sooner rather than later.

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