Lazio ‘have verbal agreement’ with Diogo Leite on July free transfer | OneFootball

Alfredo Pedullà and La Lazio Siamo Noi report that Lazio have reached a verbal agreement to sign Union Berlin centre-back Diogo Leite on a free in July, with no paperwork signed.

The 27-year-old is a left-footed defender who came through Porto before joining the Bundesliga side in 2022. He is now a regular and his contract runs out at the end of the season.

A winter move did not happen. Leite had been Lazio’s preferred option to cover Alessio Romagnoli, who was pushing to join Al-Sadd.

Lazio then lined up Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, but Romagnoli refused to waive his remaining wages, which halted the Qatar switch. Rugani is finalising a deadline-day move to Fiorentina.

Romagnoli is still expected to leave in the summer, so a left-footed centre-back will be needed. Claudio Lotito and Angelo Fabiani consider Leite the right profile, with the low cost appealing.

Leite has recently suffered an injury that is set to sideline him for one month, so the club will monitor his condition through to the end of the season. If all goes to plan, he would be Lazio’s second free addition after a deal for Villarreal left-back Alfonso Pedraza.

Source: The Laziali