Gattuso Asks Lazio for Four Reinforcements – Roles & Candidates Revealed | OneFootball

Incoming Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso is expecting the club to address at least four playing roles during the summer.

The Background

The 48-year-old will arrive at Formello this week to sign his contract and officially replace Maurizio Sarri at the club. At this stage, it remains unclear whether the Biancocelesti will be given the green light to operate freely or forced into a zero-cost campaign.

Their fate will depend on the assessment of the supervisory committee, which will delve into the club’s latest financial statement. But in any case, Lazio have certainly done enough to avoid a repeat of last season’s transfer ban.

Gennaro Gattuso Asks Lazio to Sign a Defender

According to Il Messaggero, Gattuso has already highlighted the roles that must be bolstered this summer, beginning with the backline. Alessio Romagnoli is still keen on a move to Al-Sadd, while Mario Gila’s fate remains uncertain, with Napoli now emerging as his top suitor.

Lazio are still waiting for an answer from Diogo Leite, whose contract with Union Berlin will expire at the end of the month. However, the club doesn’t intend to wait too long for the 27-year-old Portuguese, and is already studying other profiles, mainly Dinamo Zagreb’s young Spaniard, Sergi Dominguez, who is also being linked to Tottenham Hotspur.

Lazio Could Sign a New Right-Back If Manuel Lazzari Leaves

The second role is the right-back, especially if they can offload Manuel Lazzari, who is said to be a target for Sassuolo. The Italian’s departure would free up space for a new player in this position alongside Adam Marusic, and the newspaper identifies Arnau Martinez as the top candidate.

The 23-year-old Spaniard’s asking price was €15 million in January, but he could be available at a discount following Girona’s relegation, especially with his contract expiring next year.

Mattia Zaccagni’s Backup

Gattuso has already convinced Mattia Zaccagni to stay despite avid interest from Olympique Marseille. But the Lazio captain will need an understudy on the left wing following Pedro’s retirement and Daniel Maldini’s expected return to Atalanta.

Gattuso Desperate for a New Striker

Finally, the manager’s most important request is the arrival of a new striker, as none of Lazio’s attackers managed to score consistently last season. The hierarchy has asked Gattuso to help Petar Ratkov adjust to the Italian top flight, but the Calabrian boss is still counting on the arrival of some reinforcement. Cagliari’s Sebastiano Esposito is reportedly at the top of the shortlist.

On the contrary, Gattuso hasn’t asked for a new midfielder, despite Toma Basic’s departure to Venezia, but Patric could make a permanent switch to the middle of the park.