Icardi to Napoli? "I've always had great strikers" – Ancelotti
Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti has spoken about the club's reported transfer targets Mauro Icardi and James Rodríguez.
Carlo Ancelotti said he has always had great strikers as Napoli continue to be linked with Inter outcast Mauro Icardi. Icardi, who was absent from Inter Milan's pre-season tour, is not wanted by new head coach Antonio Conte as the Serie A club try to sell their former captain. Napoli and Italian champions Juventus are reportedly vying for Icardi's signature ahead of the 2019-20 season.
Ancelotti's great forwards
Asked about Icardi as Napoli also try to negotiate a deal with Real Madrid for James Rodríguez, Ancelotti told TV Luna following Wednesday's 3-3 draw against Cremonese: "A player in the James role can certainly help us in our finishing or in through balls for the strikers. I always had great centre-forwards in my career, from Pippo Inzaghi to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Icardi is a great centre-forward, as is Arkadiusz Milik. The Pole is perhaps a more complete player, even if the Argentine is a stronger finisher in the box. Talking about Icardi now would be undermining Milik's qualities, but I am sure we'll all be happy with the squad at our disposal come August 31."
It has been a busy pre-season for Napoli, who finished second behind Juve in the race for the Scudetto last term. The Italians have signed star defender Kostas Manolas from Roma and Fenerbahçe's Eljif Elmas, while Amadou Diawara, Marko Rog and Raúl Albiol have departed.