Milan should sign Mauro Icardi from Inter - Marco Simone

Milan should sign Mauro Icardi from rivals Inter to take their attack to a higher level, according to Marco Simone.

Antonio Conte discounted Icardi from his plans upon taking over Inter ahead of the 2019-20 season, instead bringing in Romelu Lukaku to partner Lautaro Martinez.

The two-time Capocannoniere was consequently sent on loan to Paris Saint-Germain, where he has ousted club-record goalscorer Edinson Cavani from the starting line-up by scoring 20 goals in 31 appearances.

Simone believes Milan are too quick to judge their strikers but thinks Cavani or former Inter captain Icardi could provide the solution to a problem that will be heightened if Zlatan Ibrahimovic's contract is not extended beyond the end of this season.

The Rossoneri sat seventh in Serie A with the fewest goals scored in the top half when the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Simeone: Icardi would be a great signing

"I would keep [Rafael] Leao. He has strength and talent. Otherwise, if you always look at the flaws in those who have talent, you have to start from scratch all the time," Simone, who won four Scudetti and two Champions Leagues with Milan, told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I wouldn't have given up on [Krzysztof] Piatek. If Ibra leaves, Milan would be short a striker.

I think [Napoli's Arkadiusz] Milik would do well, but I would try to bring Cavani and Icardi to Milan.

"Mauro would be a great signing and an ideal situation."

Milan sacked chief football officer Zvonimir Boban after he publicly spoke out against CEO Ivan Gazidis over an approach for former RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick.

Boban claimed Gazidis went behind his and technical director Paolo Maldini's backs and agreed a deal for Ralf Rangnick to take over as coach and sporting director in December.

"It's an immense loss," said Simone. "It was too superficial and trivial to fire him because of a controversial interview. I think they used it as an excuse, it was already planned.

"When you choose two characters like Boban and Maldini, you know at the start the weight they have.

"They know how Milan are managed. Those who chose them had to continue with them together. They were the first two important pieces in starting again.

"I have some doubts that such a figure [Rangnick as coach and sporting director] can work in Italy. And then his role in practice would eliminate that of Maldini. The club must clarify the managerial structure.

"If Gazidis intends to have it as it is abroad, then the relationship with Paolo should be finished and maybe Rangnick could work."