Icardi: 'I hope to stay at Inter forever'

The days of jeers raining down from the stands look as though they're well in the past after Mauro Icardi declared his desire to remain with Inter Milan.

The Argentine's future at the club appeared to be in doubt earlier in the season during a dispute with Inter's ultras and subsequent conversations about being stripped of the captain's armband.

However, cooler heads prevailed and Icardi wound up with a new contract constructed to last until 2021. But that might not be long enough.

"I've answered many times already: I'm a huge fan of this club and I'm really happy in Milan so I hope to stay at Inter forever," Icardi during a Facebook Q&A, as translated by Ben Gladwell of ESPNFC. "I get on really well with the other Argentinians off the field and we're all very united within the dressing room, where we all speak Italian."

Icardi also revealed his optimism that Inter's new owners, the Suning Group, are capable of restoring the club to a level of excellence not seen since Inter's last title-winning season in 2010.

"The club are working really hard and they want Inter to be back where they were in previous years, above all winning things again," Icardi said. "We're working month by month, also looking to bring in players who can be useful to the team.

"Our team manager's been to China and he was impressed. We'll go there in the summer and will get a good overall look at the Inter project.

"I want to play at the highest level with this team. I'm a forward and I need to score goals but I want to play at a higher level. I can't wait to play in the Champions League with this club. Let's try to qualify for it and when we do, we'll be ready."