Lazio captain Ciro Immobile turns 34 next month and it’s already started to become apparent that the striker is starting to slow down.
The Italian veteran has struggled to find his form this term amidst various nagging injuries, netting just seven goals in 1482 minutes of action across 25 games. His struggles in front of goal have had a clear impact on the team, who have regularly looked blunted in attack over the last six months.
Last season wasn’t too much better for Immobile. The 33-year-old scored 12 goals across 31 league matches, again looking a shadow of the player who has won four Capocannoniere titles in his career. With injuries continuing to trouble the striker, is his clock finally starting to tick? You can place a bet on how many times he will find the back of the net in total this season by signing up to a brand new UK casino.
Immobile’s Current Contract Situation
The Biancocelesti captain is contracted to the club until June 2026 and it’s hard to imagine him being offered a new deal at this stage, especially considering that he’s one of the highest earners in the squad.
Immobile has been a faithful servant of the club and became a fan favourite over the years, netting 203 goals in 322 games across all competitions, but eventually Lazio need to start planning ahead for a future without the talismanic forward.
Is Taty Castellanos the Man to Fill Immobile’s Shoes?
Lazio decided to start laying the foundations for this in the recent summer transfer window, investing over €15m into Valentin Castellanos. He broke through at New York City in the MLS before impressing on loan at Girona last season, earning a move to the Italian capital.
The 25-year-old Argentinian striker’s first six months in Rome haven’t been easy but he has shown some positive signs, scoring twice and providing five assists in 24 matches. Contracted to the club until 2028, he could be the man to lead the frontline for years to come, but he’ll need to develop significantly before he’s ready for that.
Alternative Solutions
The other option would be to return to the transfer market for a new striker, most likely in the summer of 2025, when Immobile enters the final year of his contract. Lazio have never been a club to invest heavily in transfers, and with the current state of the striker market it’s clear that a reliable proven option wouldn’t come cheap.
Of course, there’s always a chance that Immobile could turn things around and enter a late renaissance in his career, similar to how Fabio Quagliarella won the Capocannoniere title in the 2018-19 after scoring 26 goals at the age of 36.
