Inter risk losing Mauro Icardi for free next summer if they freeze him out of their squad completely this season, a FIFA agent explained today.
The Nerazzurri reportedly told their former captain last week that he will never play for the club again if he stays beyond 2 September, despite his contract running until 2021.
However, Jean-Cristophe Cataliotti is confident they would face legal action from the striker if such a scenario became reality.
Cataliotti told calciomercato.com: “If Icardi doesn’t take part in at least 10% of his team’s official matches during a season, he can request and obtain the termination of his contract for just sporting reasons.
“This is a FIFA law which players have the right to activate within 15 days of the team’s last match in the season for which the player is contracted.
“In short, if Inter left Icardi in the stands for the entire season they would risk losing him for free.”
Cataliotti admitted it was difficult to know how Inter and Icardi’s bitter standoff would end, not least because the parties’ positions remain extremely distant at present.
“If Icardi isn’t reintegrated into Inter’s training sessions then he can go to the Court of Arbitration and ask to either be immediately integrated or have his contract terminated,” he continued.
“If Inter reintegrated him but didn’t play him in any official matches, then the club would be pursuing a ‘legalised’ vendetta against Icardi for not accepting offers from any other club during this summer’s transfer window.”
Icardi has missed every preseason friendly under Antonio Conte so far and was excluded from last month’s tour in Asia.
Reports in Italy have suggested he could be left out of Inter’s 25-man Serie A squad this season, a move which could lead Wanda Nara to seek legal action against the club for mobbing.
