Napoli need Mauro Icardi to agree to a move before Tuesday or they will not have enough time to complete a deal, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

Aurelio De Laurentiis was widely thought to have set the Inter striker a deadline for yesterday, but he is prepared to wait a little longer after all.

The Partenopei have offered Icardi a five-year deal worth €7.5 million net per season, yet Maurito has shown no sign of wanting to say yes up until now.

Napoli would need a week to draw up Icardi’s contract due to the legal complications raised by the club’s policy over player image rights.

De Laurentiis hopes Juventus’ inability to move for the striker, at least until they have sold some of their current forwards, will ultimately persuade Icardi to join Napoli.

The club are convinced he would help Carlo Ancelotti close the gap to Juventus after the Bianconeri ran away with last season’s Serie A title.

De Laurentiis wants Icardi to be convinced about the idea of coming to Naples, because ‘he needs a leader and not a supporting actor’.

In any case, GdS assured he was enjoying himself in negotiations as Napoli’s chase for the Argentine began to resemble ‘a game of poker’.