According to what has been reported by Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lazio remain interested in Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Mario Gotze, with Simone Inzaghi keen to add the 27-year-old to the squad. This follows reports over the past month that have suggested both Lazio’s interest and the German’s reported rejection of a Biancocelesti proposal.
Gazzetta are now reporting that Gotze’s name has never left the Lazio shopping list, with the German identified as a major reinforcement to bolster the lines ahead of a return to the UEFA Champions League. One of the major issues that Lazio are facing in their interest in Gotze is the player’s wage demands and the ability of suitors from Japan, the USA and England to pay the German a higher salary than what the Biancocelesti could afford.
At 27, Gotze still potentially has a lot to offer and many remember the German for his winning goal in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, where the young midfielder scored an extra-time goal to help his side lift the trophy against Argentina. However, Gotze has informed Borussia Dortmund of his intentions to leave the club at the end of his contract, with many teams, including Premier League clubs Liverpool and West Ham.
In the 2019/20 season, Gotze has scored three times in 14 Bundesliga matches, having only played 504 minutes; taking a backseat behind the likes of Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt and Marco Reus. Gotze rejoined Dortmund from Bayern Munich in 2016 for a fee of around €25 million, three years after the German left Dortmund for Bayern for a €40 million fee.
Whilst it remains unlikely that Gotze’s next destination is Rome, the Italian media seem to suggest that Lazio still very much remain in the running for his signature but will be met with competition in terms of the salary demands they can deliver.
