Luciano Spalletti: 'Mauro Icardi best I have coached'

Inter Milan boss Luciano Spalletti has branded Mauro Icardi 'the best player he has ever coached'.

Icardi scored his 99th Serie A goal for the Italian giants in Sunday's 4-0 win over Udinese.

The Argentine international has now managed 28 goals in 32 league appearances for Inter during the 2017-18 campaign, and Spalletti was quick to hail the striker following the Udinese clash.

"Icardi, he's a top player, an exceptional finisher," Spalletti told reporters. "He's got quality for the goal, he knows where the ball goes, he does not need to chase it, he's the strongest I've ever trained.

"He works outside the penalty area, but in the last few metres in front of goal, he is deadly."

Inter currently sit fifth in Serie A - one point off fourth-placed Roma.