As the suggestions grow that Dusan Basta will not remain a Lazio player by September, and that if he does he will be deployed as a centre-back, Lazio are in need of a right-back to serve as a proper alternative to Marusic. Caceres is talented but inconsistent, and features better as a centre-back. Patric is an average player and one whom maybe needs a few years to further develop before being properly utilised by Inzaghi. Now, the latest reports from TuttoMercatoWeb have named three alternatives: Spal’s Manuel Lazzari, Torino’s Lorenzo De Silvestri and Salzburg’s Stefan Lainer.
Manuel Lazzari signed for SPAL back in 2013 for an undisclosed fee, the 24-year-old has since become an important part of the SPAL side who climbed up to the Serie A. This season, he played 36 times in the league for SPAL, scoring twice and assisting another two. Furthermore, he can play as a right full-back, a right wing-back or a right midfielder, making him ideal for Inzaghi’s 3-5-1-1/3-5-2 system. Lazzari is likely to be available for a fee in the region of €4 million.
The next name mentioned is Torino’s Lorenzo De Silvestri. The 30-year-old Italian, who was born in Rome and began his career with Lazio, has since played for Sampdoria, Fiorentina and Torino. He signed for the latter for a fee of around €3.5 million in August 2016 and is currently valued at a similar price. This season, De Silvestri played 35 Serie A games for Torino, scoring 5 goals and assisting four, proving his ability going forward.
The final name and possibly the best option amongst these is Austria and Red Bull Salzburg defender Stefan Lainer. Stefan Lainer is a versatile right-sided player, able to play as a full-back, right-midfielder and right-winger. Many Lazio fans will remember this name as he scored the final goal in Salzburg’s 4-1 victory over Lazio in the Europa League and at just 25-years-old, there is still room for him to develop as a player. Currently valued at €4 million, Lazio would likely have to part with around €7.5 million to secure his services.
