Sutalo ‘to join’ Lazio on loan as Benfica miss out | OneFootball

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Sutalo will join Lazio from Ajax on a season-long loan for 3 million euros, with a 7.5 million option to buy. The move denies Benfica a priority defensive target.

Gennaro Gattuso will therefore have the Croatia international at his disposal. Benfica, led by Rui Costa, had targeted the centre-back to bolster their defence.

The situation turned once the Italian side entered the race and opened formal talks with Ajax. At the outset, the Amsterdam club wanted 12 to 13 million euros for a permanent transfer.

Before settling on this decision, Sutalo rejected two lucrative proposals from Saudi Arabia, underlining the weight he placed on sporting considerations. He remains under contract with the Dutch club until 2028.

Despite missing Sutalo, Benfica have moved quickly to land Alessandro Circati. They have an agreement with Parma for a permanent deal worth 18 million euros plus a further 2 million in performance bonuses.

Source: Glorioso 1904

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”