If it’s possible to feel a little sympathy for Wanda Nara, we’re starting to. An amateur, ill advised, and clumsy effort to get her husband a better pay deal at Inter Milan has exploded so much that it’s fair to call it a PR disaster.
The Argentine former model, showgirl and reality TV personality is now her husband’s agent, after he binned off his old one last year and appointed his new wife, who used to be married to his friend Maxi Lopez.
Just over a week ago, Wanda Nara started to place huge doubt on Icardi’s career at Inter Milan, where he’s the captain. She said the club would sell him because they couldn’t afford him.
That wasn’t really true, as Nara herself later made clear. She claims Inter promised Icardi a further pay rise last year, but that he’d have to wait a while to get it. Inter are said to have explained that they couldn’t afford a huge deal at that point, and when they could he’d get the big money.
Nara, obviously annoyed the extra money hasn’t turned up, then decided to announce to the world that Inter would sell Icardi because they couldn’t afford him. Inter answered back, fans were unhappy, and there have been calls to strip the player of the captaincy.
There’s even been suggestions Inter would now be keen on a sale, keen to send the circus on to a new town.
At this point, it would probably have been best for Nara to stop talking. She made it plain she didn’t want Icardi to leave Inter, with her children settled in Milan.
But no, the agent kept on digging, and talking. In an interview with last Wednesday’s edition of Corriere della Sera, Nara was erratic.
“Not true, Mauro wants to stay and I want to stay in Milan. They are making us look like mercenaries, we are not. They must tell the truth, do not declare that Icardi is not for sale if they speak with other teams.
“People try to make me look like a crazy agent. There are many offers for him, but it’s not my job to talk with other clubs. My role is to discuss Mauro’s contract.
“I know that Atletico Madrid, Tottenham and Arsenal came forward. Now there is Roma and Napoli too.
“Last week the Juventus director of sport Fabio Paratici met with (Inter chief Piero) Ausilio and asked for Icardi, offering an important sum, over €50m. Then they’ll say it isn’t true, but that’s what happened. I don’t tell lies.”
“I will speak to the Chinese owners as soon as I get the chance. They don’t want to sell Icardi. He is a symbol, the face of Inter. It’s like Paul Pogba for Juve.’
That was just a selection and the gist of Nara’s comments can be boiled down to : Just pay him more money… or else.
SportMediaSet say Arsenal have invited Icradi, or rather those who deal with his business (which Nara has made very clear is her) for a meeting to discuss a transfer.
Whether Arsene Wenger would happily encourage Arsenal to get involved in this may be quite another thing.
