Atalanta ‘to move’ for Mario Gila as Napoli lead race, Brighton interested | OneFootball

Atalanta are accelerating their pursuit of Lazio centre-back Mario Gila, aiming to overtake Napoli, with Brighton monitoring the situation, according to The Laziali.

Gila, 25, has one year left on his deal and is widely expected to depart this summer. President Claudio Lotito values him at €25-30 million, with Real Madrid due 50 percent of any profit from a sale.

Napoli were first to table a concrete offer and have an agreement on personal terms, yet Lazio remain unconvinced despite proposals to include Lorenzo Lucca or Rafa Marin.

Atalanta have lodged a bid just over €20 million and have clear motives for the move. They are switching from a back three to 4-3-3 for the first time in over a decade, with Maurizio Sarri seeking a back-four specialist and a potential reunion with Gila.

They have also been hit by Isak Hien’s injury during Sweden’s World Cup game against Japan, which has ruled the defender out of the tournament and could even delay his start to the season.

Il Messaggero reports Napoli remain frontrunners despite Atalanta’s push and also confirms Brighton’s interest as they seek a new centre-back.

Brighton have sold Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham Hotspur and could also move on Diego Coppola, who struggled to settle after joining from Hellas Verona last summer. He spent the second half of the season at Paris FC and has emerged as a serious target for Lazio.

Source: The Laziali