Lazio market: in addition to Marcos Antonio, Sarri is expecting another three

A goalkeeper and two central defenders are needed immediately. Milinkovic and Luis Alberto knots

Question marks go beyond full stops. It is true that there is still a long way to go before the start of the season, but – at the time of the contract renewal – Sarri was clear: the new Lazio must take shape before the start of the pre-season retreat, which kicks off on 6 July in Auronzo di Cadore. We need to be ready for the championship and for the Europa League.

The gaps

The purchase of the Brazilian Marcos Antonio (who will land in Rome next week) has filled the void left by the departure of the other Brazilian Lucas Leiva. An important shot because that of the play is a fundamental role for the balance of the team. But many other key-squares remain uncovered: the goalkeeper, the two central defenders, the left-back, and then the mezzala if one between Luis Alberto and Milinkovic were to leave. The names with which to fill those boxes have been identified for some time, but the relative negotiations are proceeding between ups and downs. For the goalkeeper, for example, the choice fell on Marco Carnesecchi. A choice that Lazio decided to confirm despite the player’s shoulder injury, which was operated on yesterday. He will have it for 3-4 months, but Lazio is ready to buy it anyway. Except that the negotiation with Atalanta is still far from a turning point. The Bergamo club wants 15 million, it could go down to 14, but Lazio at the moment does not want to go up beyond 10. Even for Casale, the first of the two central defenses on which it is aimed, there is a lot of distance with the club that holds the card, the Verona. The figures are similar: demand around 15 million, offer that does not exceed 10. There will still be much to be negotiated to shorten the distance. More promising is the Romagnoli affair. After Lotito’s last relaunch (2.7 plus bonus) the banner of the finish line can be seen (the AC Milan player, released, asks for 3 million). The problem is that, before closing for Romagnoli, Lazio must sell Acerbi, for which there is nothing concrete at the moment.

The knots

The left-back speech is instead on the high seas. Indeed, at the moment, the company has not yet decided whether to really take it or to go ahead with Marusic who is right, but he can also adapt on the opposite side. It will be decided later. The objectives remain two: the Empoli Parisi player and the Chelsea player Emerson Palmieri. High costs for both, so Lazio takes time to understand the feasibility of the operation. Which could also be linked to the sale of one of the two big midfielders, Luis Alberto and Milinkovic. So far, no offers have arrived for them. If they were to arrive, the Roman club would bet everything on Ilic of Verona, linking the negotiation to that for Casale. For now, however, they are only hypotheses. Meanwhile, time passes.

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