Everton Weigh Mauro Icardi Move as Moyes Hunts Striker

Everton could open Mauro Icardi talks in coming days as Moyes considers striker options

Everton are weighing a move for free agent Mauro Icardi, with reports suggesting the club could initiate contacts in the coming days. David Moyes wants another centre-forward to provide cover for Thierno Barry, his only recognised senior number nine. No conversations have yet taken place.

Player: Mauro Icardi, 33, currently a free agent
Club: Everton, managed by David Moyes
Status: Icardi has been offered to Everton and is under consideration; no talks have begun
Timing: Contacts could be initiated in the coming days, according to journalist Christian Vaquero
Need: Moyes wants depth and competition for Thierno Barry, the only recognised senior number nine
Deal type: Free transfer, but wages, contract length and readiness would all need assessment

Deal details

Mauro Icardi remains a free agent and has reportedly been offered to Everton, subsequently emerging as a player under consideration. According to Christian Vaquero, writing on Tuesday via Read Everton, the club could initiate contacts in the coming days. Vaquero also reported that no conversations had yet taken place between the Argentine forward and the club. There is therefore no basis for describing a transfer as advanced or an agreement as imminent.

No proposed salary, contract duration or arrival date features in the reporting. Any initial approach would be a chance to establish whether there is enough common ground to proceed. Until then, this remains a transfer possibility rather than a negotiation with a clear destination.

Why Moyes wants another striker

Read Everton identifies Thierno Barry as Moyes' only recognised senior number nine. That leaves the manager with limited room to rotate in a position where fatigue, form and injury can quickly change the outlook. Adding another striker would have value beyond simply increasing the headcount.

It could allow Moyes to manage Barry's workload, introduce a different attacking option during difficult matches and avoid placing every demand on one centre-forward. There is also a distinction between providing cover and creating meaningful competition. Everton would ideally want a signing capable of making a credible case for selection, rather than someone whose presence merely fills a gap.

Icardi's experience with Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain makes his name an intriguing one. Even so, the relevant assessment would concern what he could contribute now, within the demands of Everton's team.

Icardi decision must go beyond reputation

A free transfer still requires a substantial footballing judgement. Without a transfer fee, the focus shifts towards wages, contract length, readiness and the role a player expects to occupy. For Everton, those considerations would need to fit together. A deal that appears attractive on paper could offer limited benefit if the player requires considerable time before he can contribute.

Equally, an experienced forward who accepts a clearly defined role could give Moyes useful flexibility. These are questions any approach would need to explore, rather than details established by the current reporting. The next meaningful development would be confirmation that contact has actually begun. That would move the story beyond an available player being linked with a club seeking reinforcement.

Analysis: Everton must weigh suitability, not just availability

The temptation with a free agent of Mauro Icardi's profile is to treat the absence of a fee as a bargain. Everton cannot afford that logic. With Thierno Barry as the only senior number nine, Moyes needs a forward who can start matches, not merely occupy a squad place. The distinction between cover and competition is central to whether this signing makes sense.

Icardi's age – 33 – and his likely wage demands mean the real cost sits in the contract, not the transfer. Everton would need to know how quickly he could reach match sharpness and whether he accepts a role that may involve spells on the bench. If he expects to be the main man, the deal could create problems rather than solve them.

From a tactical view, Moyes would gain the option to change a match from the bench without losing a focal point. That flexibility matters across a long season. But the club must also consider whether a younger, more mobile forward would suit the pressing demands of the Premier League better. Icardi's reputation alone cannot answer that.

Talking points

Should Everton sign a 33-year-old free agent, or prioritise a younger striker with resale value?
Is Thierno Barry genuinely good enough to be the only senior number nine at a Premier League club?
Does Icardi's reported availability show smart opportunism from Moyes, or a lack of a clear recruitment plan?
If wages are high, would Everton be better off investing that money in a permanent transfer fee instead?

What happens next

The next meaningful step is confirmation that contact has actually begun between Everton and Icardi's representatives. Until that happens, the story remains a reported option rather than an active negotiation. Everton's need for attacking depth is clear; whether Icardi becomes part of the solution will depend on whether the club believes he can contribute now.

Frequently asked questions

Have Everton opened talks with Mauro Icardi?

No. According to Christian Vaquero, no conversations had yet taken place between Icardi and Everton, though the club could initiate contacts in the coming days.

Is Mauro Icardi a free agent?

Yes. The report states that Icardi remains a free agent and has been offered to Everton.

Who is Everton's only recognised senior striker?

Read Everton identifies Thierno Barry as David Moyes' only recognised senior number nine.

Why do Everton want another striker?

Moyes wants cover, competition and greater freedom to change a match from the bench in a position where fatigue, form and injury can quickly change the outlook.