Taylor In, Guendouzi Out: Lazio’s Best Business in Years?

Lazio are hardly renowned for their spell-binding work in the transfer market, especially in recent years. One only needs to take a look at the names that the Eagles have wasted big money on in recent years for confirmation of that.

Loum Tchaouna, Tijjani Noslin, and Reda Belahyane are just some of the names that have cost over €10m to bring to the Stadio Olimpico in recent campaigns, pieces of business that tell you everything you need to know about the transfer noise on the blue half of the Eternal City.

However, Lazio’s most recent piece of business could well be their best in years. Firstly, the departure of Taty Castellanos to West Ham United for a reported €29m did plenty to appease the Laziali, with many feeling that the Hammers overpaid by almost double in their bid to secure the Argentinian striker.

But it’s the upgrade in the center of the park that should have truly impressed Lazio supporters.

Lazio Replace Matteo Guendouzi with Kenneth Taylor

Initially, the reaction was anything but impressive when it was announced that midfield dynamo Mattéo Guendouzi would be leaving the club, departing for Fenerbahçe for €30m after two and a half years in Sky Blue. The former Arsenal man was seen as a cornerstone of Maurizio Sarri’s team, and the Italian manager was reportedly not impressed with the decision by the board to sell the man around whom he was building his team.

However, the powers that be at the Olimpico moved quickly to secure a replacement – arguably an upgrade – for the outgoing Frenchman.

Barely 24 hours on from the Guendouzi news, it was announced that Lazio were signing Ajax captain Kenneth Taylor for just shy of €17m. The Dutchman is considered by many to be as good as – if not better- than the Istanbul-bound star he is replacing in Rome, and the fact that the Biancocelesti have him in the building plus €13m represents incredible work from the powers that be in the Olimpico transfer room. 

It has to be said, though, that online betting sites don’t see the transfer as a huge difference maker. The latest Lucky Rebel soccer betting odds still list Lazio as a whopping 66/1 outsider to finish in the top four this season, the same price as they were before Guendouzi was swapped for Taylor. As such, it seems as though another season of midtable mediocrity could well be on the cards.

Astute transfer business is something that fans of the club aren’t currently accustomed to, but there have been some fleeting moments in the last few years that should be praised.

Here are two other times when the Eagles managed to secure an upgrade on the pitch and cash in the coffers through impressive transfer dealings.

1. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Departs, Matteo Guendouzi Arrives

While his departure should be seen as good business, Matteo Guendouzi’s arrival at the Stadio Olimpico was also impressive.

The Biancocelesti had a gaping hole in their midfield following the sale of iconic midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal. The giant Serbian midfielder had gone on to become one of the most coveted midfielders in Europe during his time at Lazio. After arriving for €10m from Genk in the summer of 2015, he would soon become the midfielder with the most goals in the club’s history, surpassing the legendary Pavel Nedved with 69 goals in 341 games.

However, when Al Hilal arrived with a mighty €40m offer to secure his services in July 2023, Lazio could hardly say no. Milinković-Savić departed, and Guendouzi arrived, initially on loan from Marseille before making the deal permanent for €15m. The club pocketed the difference and enjoyed two and a half stellar years of Guendouzi before then collecting a further €15m on profit from him as well.

Will they do the same with Taylor? If the Dutchman hits the ground running, his stock will only grow, much like his French counterpart’s did.

2. Joaquín Correa Out, Mattia Zaccagni In

When Inter Milan forked out an initial €6m to take Joaquín Correa off Lazio’s hands in the summer of 2021, few could believe it. Sure, the Argentinian attacker was always a threat with his pace and direct running, but he never had the goal output to truly catapult the Eagles back into contention.

Armed with a mini war chest, Lazio responded with arguably the greatest signing in their recent history, the loan signing of current captain Mattia Zaccagni from Hellas Verona.

Correa would go on to toil with the Nezzarurri, but the San Siro outfit still decided to make his loan move permanent for an additional €24m. The capital city club responded in kind, also making their temporary addition of Zaccagni permanent for a much more modest €7m, and to call the move an upgrade would be an understatement.

Throughout the five years that followed the initial loan deals being penned, Correa has found the back of the net just 14 times in over 100 appearances, resulting in him now warming the bench over in Brazil with Botafogo.

Zaccagni, meanwhile, is now Lazio’s captain and undisputed leader, helping himself to 36 goals from the left wing throughout the same time frame. Talk about an upgrade.