Josip Sutalo's move to Benfica could be in doubt | OneFootball

Josip Sutalo remains one of the names most appreciated by the board led by Rui Costa to strengthen the heart of Benfica's defense. However, the case of the Croatian international could become more complicated following the entry of a rival to sign the player.

According to Alfredo Pedullà, a transfer market specialist, Lazio have entered the race for the Ajax defender, seeing the player as a potential successor to Alessio Romagnoli. The current player for the Rome club is under contract until June 2027 and could therefore sign freely with another club from January onward.

The Italian club have already reportedly made exploratory contacts with Ajax representatives and have been informed of the conditions for a possible departure for Sutalo. The Dutch side are willing to negotiate the center-back for a fee between €12 million and €13 million.

Even so, the player's own wishes could prove decisive in the outcome of the process. Sutalo is under contract with Ajax until the end of the 2027/28 season and has already turned down two concrete approaches from clubs in Saudi Arabia.

Benfica will therefore now have to face competition from Lazio if they want to move forward with the signing of the Croatian center-back. As an alternative, a return of Victor Lindelof to the Eagles was considered; however, as Glorioso 1904 has learned, the situation is not viable.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.