Lazio Reportedly Have an Agreement Principle With Unsettled Brighton Player | OneFootball

Lazio have allegedly struck an agreement in principle with the entourage of Brighton defender Diego Coppola.

Lazio Need a New Defender

With Alessio Romagnoli finalising his transfer to Al-Sadd in the coming days and Mario Gila emerging as Napoli’s top target, the Biancocelesti need at least one new centre-back. While the left-footed Oliver Provstgaard could be promoted to a starting role, a right-footed defender is needed alongside him.

Lazio Working on Signing Diego Coppola

As reported in recent days, new Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso has greenlighted Coppola’s pursuit. The manager had already called him up to the Italian national team earlier this year, albeit without fielding him.

While Gattuso’s preference lies with Sergi Dominguez, La Gazzetta dello Sport (via LazioNews24) reveals that the club directors have made more progress in their negotiations with Coppola, who is considered a more attainable profile.

The Contract Details

The pink newspaper claims that the two parties have almost reached an agreement on personal terms, with the Italian defender accepting a five-year contract that would earn him €1.5 million per year in addition to bonuses.

However, the biggest hurdle remains finding an accord with Brighton, who have set their price at €11-12 million, while Lazio are pushing for lower figures. Therefore, the two clubs could try to bridge the gap through direct negotiations in the coming days or weeks.

Coppola: Career Path & Struggles at Brighton

Coppola is a 22-year-old defender who rose through the ranks of Hellas Verona and became a regular starter at the club before joining the Seagulls last summer. After struggling for minutes during the first half of the season, he moved to Paris FC on loan in January, where he was able to find consistent playing time, making 13 Ligue 1 appearances and contributing with two assists.