Mario Gila Race Heating up as Napoli & Atalanta Make New Moves

Mario Gila has become the subject of a tug-of-war between Napoli and Atalanta, with both clubs desperate to land the Lazio defender.

The Background

The 25-year-old still has one year left on his contract, so the Biancocelesti are hoping to cash in on him before it’s too late. Claudio Lotito initially set his asking price at €30 million, but has recently reduced it to €22m plus €3m. Real Madrid are also watching the saga unfold, as they will collect a 50% sell-on fee of Lazio’s profit.

Napoli were the first club to make a move, as they managed to reach an agreement with the player’s agent, Alejandro Camano, on a five-year contract with a €3 million net salary per season. However, Atalanta made a higher bid, placing more than €20 million on the table, although it wasn’t enough to sway Lazio.

Napoli Making New Dialogues for Gila

According to Sky Sport Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Napoli are keen to stay ahead of the competition. Therefore, the club’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, held a meeting with Gila’s entourage on Tuesday, and it is expected to be followed by fresh talks with Lazio.

Atalanta to Sacrifice Berat Djimisiti for Gila?

On the other hand, fellow Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla reveals that Atalanta are working on making room for Gila in their roster by offloading one of their defenders. This would also allow them to raise their offer for the Spaniard.

Maurizio Sarri’s team was dealt a blow last week, with Isak Hien sustaining a serious injury in the World Cup, so Pedulla believes the main name on the chopping block is Berat Djimsiti, a 33-year-old Albanian defender who has been on La Dea’s books since 2016.