Meet Mauro Icardi: The Everton free agent target that Lionel Messi personally pushed to sign
Mauro Icardi is a free agent who Everton may look to sign before the January window.
The Blues only have one natural striker after a move for Folarin Balogun fell through on deadline day.
The USA international was ready to move to Hill Dickinson in a £40million deal, but an issue in his medical meant the deal collapsed in the eleventh hour.
Thierno Barry is currently David Moyes' only natural number nine, as serious concerns have been voiced about the overuse of the Frenchman.
But after leaving Galatasaray earlier in the summer, Icardi is a free agent that Everton have been eyeing up.
If the Toffees need any further validation before making a move, then they have it from none other than Lionel Messi.
How Lionel Messi personally pushed to sign Everton-linked Mauro Icardi
Everton are reportedly considering a move for Icardi, who has also been linked with Lazio and Tottenham in recent days.
The Argentine did look close to joining Lazio, but a move looks to have fallen through in recent days.
The 33-year-old netted 16 times for Galatasaray last campaign, and has a knack for scoring a goal every two games on average for most clubs he's been with throughout his career.
While at Inter Milan, Icardi was asked about a rumoured phone call with Messi, who tried to sign him for Barcelona's academy.
He said, as quoted by Inter's official website in 2017: "They spoke to my mum and dad about joining Barcelona.
"So Barcelona decided to send someone over to the Canaries, together with a pennant, a photo and a Barca football – all signed by Messi, dedicated to me and my family."
He then revealed how he waited for Messi in Barcelona's stadium car park to meet him, before the Argentina legend took him out for a meal with the team the very same day.
Icardi spent three years in Barcelona's academy before heading to Italy.
Now, at the ripe age of 33, he could make his Premier League debut soon with Everton.
What Hernan Crespo said about Icardi
Icardi has won multiple league titles and other domestic trophies in football.
He has 13 titles that he's contributed to and has registered over 250 goals in his career.
Argentina legend Hernan Crespo is one of many strikers who have been wowed by Icardi's abilities.
In 2017, Crespo said, as quoted by Sports Illustrated: "After Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, who are from another planet, Icardi is the striker I like the most."
The former Chelsea number nine also claimed that he saw Icardi becoming "world-class" and that he was already a "champion" at 24.
Everton could do with someone who knows where the back of the net is, and Icardi's experience could be something that Moyes is happy to welcome.
The Toffees would have to meet his £8.6million-a-year salary demands in order to bring the decorated striker to Hill Dickinson.