Lazio have officially announced the capture of Hellas Verona midfielder Reda Belahyane who becomes the club’s second January signing after Arijon Ibrahimovic.
The Background
The Biancocelesti have been on the 20-year-old’s trail for quite some time, albeit they put the chase on hold while futilely pursuing Cesare Casadei in recent weeks. But with the former Chelsea midfielder signing for Torino a few days ago, Lazio immediately resumed their attempts to sign Belahyane while banking on their excellent rapport with Verona.
Lazio Announce Reda Belahyane
The club’s official website has now announced the arrival of the Morocco international on a permanent transfer.
SS Lazio announces the permanent acquisition of Reda Belahyane from Hellas Verona FC. The 2004-born player will wear the number 21 shirt.
As per custom, the official note didn’t disclose any figures, but media reports expect the new signing to cost the Aquile a transfer fee of €12-13 million in addition to bonuses.
Reunion with Marco Baroni
Belahyane is a youth product of OGC Nice who was poached by Verona in January 2024 for less than €1 million. The young Regista made his Serie A debut under Marco Baroni but was only used sparingly by the current Lazio as he was still adjusting to life in Italian football.
🇪🇺 Top 5 League U21 Midfielders : Defensive duels
🇲🇦 150 — Reda Belahyane (Hellas Verona, 20)
🇩🇪 148 — Tom Bischof (Hoffenheim, 19)
🇵🇹 147 — Mateus Fernandes (Southampton, 20)
🇸🇳 140 — Lamine Camara (Monaco, 21)
🇧🇷 133 — Andrey Santos (Strasbourg, 20)📊 https://t.co/McR5zrPkTO pic.twitter.com/uSWKGwNvoj
— DataMB (@DataMB_) February 1, 2025
But under Paolo Zanetti’s tutelage, the midfielder has cemented himself as one of the best revelations of the Serie A campaign. Aside from his technical skills, Belahyane is also excellent at retrieving the ball, despite his diminutive frame. DataMB reveals how he won more defensive duels (150) than any other U21 midfielder in Europe’s Top Five Leagues this season.
Welcome to Lazio, Reda! Fly high young eagle 💙🤍🦅
Looks like a copy of Lucas Torreira, another guy that was on our radar a few years back.