By Boluwatife Ezekiel Olaleye
Spanish Champions, Real Madrid are keen to boost their attacking line up in January with reports suggesting an £88m bid is being prepared for the Inter Milan star.
Icardi has netted an impressive 15 goals in 14 matches this season for the Milan giants to help them to second in the Serie A table.
Madrid are in desperate need of firepower up front, sitting eight points behind league leaders Barcelona.
But Messi doesn’t want that to change anytime soon.
Spanish publication Don Balon claim Messi is now trying to thwart Madrid’s transfer plans in the upcoming window by convincing Icardi not to join Los Blancos.
Lionel Messi doesn’t want Mauro Icardi to join Real Madrid.
The pair have a good relationship being Argentina team-mates, and Lionel Messi has tried to put Icardi off joining Barca’s rivals with a phone call to advise him on his future.
Icardi has not promised Messi his word that he won’t join Madrid, but would be open to a move to the Nou Camp to play alongside his compatriot if an offer came up.
Messi feels Icardi is one of the best strikers around and is doing all he can to ensure Madrid don’t strengthen and mount a title challenge in the second half of the campaign.
The 24-year-old is under contract with Inter until 2021.
And his wife, who is also his agent, Wanda Nara, claims Icardi is happy at the San Siro for now.