Four Defenders Land on Lazio Shortlist as Romagnoli Asks to Leave

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The Laziali

·22 January 2026

Four Defenders Land on Lazio Shortlist as Romagnoli Asks to Leave

Lazio are searching the market for a new centre-back, as Alessio Romagnoli has made his exit plans abundantly clear.

The Background

The 31-year-old has been left frustrated by Claudio Lotito and the rest of the hierarchy, who promised him a pay rise in case of a Champions League qualification, but never kept their word. The 31-year-old is now a target for Roberto Mancini’s Al-Sadd, who are tirelessly working on bringing him to Qatar.

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Alessio Romagnoli Wants to Join Al-Sadd

According to Il Corriere dello Sport (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), Maurizio Sarri has tried everything he could to convince Romagnoli to stay at Formello, but to no avail. The Roman newspaper is adamant about leaving Lazio this month, especially since the management has kept his contract renewal on ice one more.

Alessio Romagnoli (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

As the source tells it, the club directors made contact with the player’s representatives in early January, asking them to send their contractual requests. However, Romagnoli and his agents never received an answer, which proved to be the last straw in an already-strained relationship.

Lazio Eyeing Union Berlin Duo Diogo Leite & Danilho Doekhi

According to Il Messaggero (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), the Biancocelesti are already preparing for life after Romagnoli. The club is reportedly keeping tabs on two out-of-contract players from Union Berlin. The first is 26-year-old Portuguese centre-back Diogo Leite, and the second is his Dutch teammate, 27-year-old Danilho Doekhi.

Lazio Also Monitoring Kike Salas & Gaspar

In addition to the Bundesliga duo, Lazio have been following Sevilla’s Kike Salas for quite some time. However, the 23-year-old Spaniard is tied to the Andalusians with a contract valid until June 2029. The last name on the shortlist is Kialonda Gaspar, a 28-year-old Angolan international who has been plying his trade at Lecce since the summer of 2024. His contract with the Salentians will expire in 2027.