Mauro Icardi has reportedly expressed his desire to join Lazio, but the final call lies with head coach Gennaro Gattuso.
Lazio’s New-Look Attack Still Missing a Striker?
The Biancocelesti revamped their striking department in the summer by offloading Boulaye Dia and Petar Ratkov and bringing in Andrea Pinamonti and Albert Gudmundsson. However, the Icelandic international isn’t considered a traditional centre-forward, and the same goes for Tijjani Noslin, which leaves Pinamonti as the only natural No.9 in the squad.
Lazio Have Been Monitoring Mauro Icardi for Months
Over the past few months, Icardi has been heavily linked to Lazio, with his agent confirming talks with the club’s sporting director, Angelo Fabiani. The 33-year-old has been a free agent since seeing out his contract with Galatasaray at the end of the previous campaign, so he was able to bide his time, knowing he could still sign for a new club as a free agent after the transfer window’s closure.
Icardi Offers His Services to Lazio
According to Italian journalist Damiano Er Faina, Icardi has now decided that Lazio is his preferred option, thus offering his services to the capital club. But while Fabiani would be ready to welcome the Argentine with open arms, Gattuso remains reluctant, as he’s worried about destabilising the squad and jeopardising the serenity in the locker room.
Why Gennaro Gattuso Remains Uncertain
Icardi was one of the deadliest strikers in Serie A during th 2010s, but he also has his fair share of controversial episodes, especially when he was associated with his ex-wife and agent, Wanda Nara. The former Inter Milan captain was frozen out of the squad in his final months at Appiano Gentile, before sealing a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2019.
Gattuso will thus weigh the pros and cons of adding the Argentine bomber to his ranks before making a final decision.
If they sign Icardi it would effectively turn Pinamonti into the 3rd striker. Especially with his last outings. A player that wasn’t part of pre-season, who still needs to find his place and get used to his team mates. A player Lazio paid a signing on fee for.
Yes Icardi can be a high level striker, while having only one pure striker is a risk. Especially with the track record of injuries of Lazio.
But he will cost likely 5-7 million in gross wage, add signing on fees, bonuses and this will turn into quite an expensive deal.
Lazio’s leadership is notorious for over spending, with the limitation’s set by the FIGC and Covisoc breathing down Lazio’s neck. The restrictions need to be lifted. This move would be pushing it further.
If Lazio a total transfer ban somewhere this season, while having signed Icardi. Honestly we would be dealing with a bunch of donkeys.
Unable to sign Frattesi for example.
But hearing Fabiani talk about European football is quite an indication that he and Lotito are still living in the clouds with their heads.
Icardi should not be a priority right now. Lazio is flying, with games against Venezia and Monza coming up.
Both matches should give Pinamonti a chance to adapt.
There’s also no guarantee that Ratkov and Dia’s options are permanent. Lazio risk spreading themselves too thin, and back under a net zero restriction.
I’d rather see no more moves until the January window at the earliest.
Absolutely agree about no more moves. It’s the only sensible thing. Ratkov if his option to buy is pressed fully depends on if he succeeds. While Dia I’ve read has quite easy conditions that would make the transfer permanent. (definitely those that know fill me in on this) But even if both were to be sold, that would likely fill a big portion of the overall loss that Lazio will make over the season.
While releasing Cataldi*, Lazzari, Pellegrini, Patric, Cancellieri*, Fares, Serra and Renzetti will free up almost another 17 million.
Frattesi, Guđmundsson, Pinamonti and Šutalo still require a sum of 40+ million to add them to the squad. While if the players listed for release are gone, at the very least 2-3 players need to be signed to replace them.
If during the winter the midfield is no longer plagued with injuries, perhaps even selling a midfielder would be good. To raise capital and get a player off the books.
*: if they aren’t extended.
Wait! Fares is still on our BOOKS?.. LIKE WTF!
Yes last year fortunately. He came from SPAL for about 8 million and was given a 5 year contract with a salary of 2.2 million gross. So he earned over 20 million. Doing nothing at Lazio.
That’s the key issue if you (over) pay a player that hasn’t truly proven himself and offer them a long term contract. (5 years) They basically become unsellable if they don’t succeed, as no team will offer them a contract anywhere near that sum.
You’re pretty close with the financials that have been released. The summary is below:
Lazio registered a 24m gain thus far but this largely depends on the loans:
Frattesi = 10m (+14m total above net zero)
Sutalo = 7.5m (+6.5m above net zero)
Gudmundsson = 12m (-5.5m)
Ratkov = 14m (triggered if he scores 10 goals. +8.5m above net zero)
Dia = 9m (triggered if Rennes avoids relegation. +17.5m above net zero)
Yes, releasing a majority of the players you mentioned will net another 12m-17m (I don’t think all those names will be released), but that should put Lazio in the 29m-34m above zero range.
All of this, however, hinges on Ratkov and Dia… if their loans are declined, Lazio is around 6m-11m above zero.
Gambling on an aging Icardi for 5-6m is not a smart move right now.
On top of this, there is still an approximate 11m revenue hit due to the boycott.
The primary focus should be staying healthy and ending the boycott.
We can’t relay only Pinamonti and Noslin upfront If they have and probably will have injuries. To me bringing Icardi in would be a clear signal to players and fans that we are really fighting for top finish and europe.
@Ballo
Let me use a metaphor where Lazio is personified as your friend.
Your friend has lived a lavish lifestyle for many years, but now it has finally caught up with him. He has been investigated, and the court has placed strict limits on his spending. With the risk of getting further fined or even bankruptcy.
Yet, your friend is a smooth talker and a master manipulator who uses clever workarounds to bypass the rules. Now, he wants to spend even more money just to project an image of success to the outside world. A classical ‘look at me, we’re doing fine’ routine.
Would you support this erratic behavior, knowing that if the gamble fails, he will end up in a far worse position than he is right now?
It’s like providing an alcoholic who’s sober, a beer before he applies for a job. In order to get some confidence.
“We can’t relay only Pinamonti and Noslin upfront”. There’s also Guđmundsson, who could play a shadow striker role.
Also “we can’t rely”, Lazio has 10/36 points needed to be safe from relegation.