Lazio and Hull City miss out as Real Madrid sign Carlos Espí | OneFootball

Real Madrid have signed Levante striker Carlos Espí, ending Lazio and Hull City’s hopes of landing the 21-year-old.

The club said in a statement that the transfer has been agreed and that Espí has signed for five seasons, until 30 June 2031. The move was finalised on Thursday evening, with the Spaniard viewed as the replacement for Fulham-bound Gonzalo Garcia.

Lazio had been tracking the centre-forward in recent weeks, while Hull City were also in the mix. Espí scored 11 goals in 26 appearances last season, including decisive efforts late in the campaign that helped Levante stay up.

It continues a frustrating window for Lazio. They failed to conclude a deal with Bayern Munich for Jonathan Asp Jensen, who preferred a switch to Rome but ultimately joined Deportivo La Coruña.

The Aquile also appear set to miss out on young defender Sergi Dominguez, with no agreement reached with Dinamo Zagreb.

Up front, Lazio still regard AC Milan wantaway Santiago Gimenez as their ideal target, and Gennaro Gattuso is keen to have the Mexican. They are also monitoring Fiorentina’s Roberto Piccoli and Sassuolo’s Andrea Pinamonti, while Benfica forward Franjo Ivanovic is a new name on the shortlist, though a move looks difficult.

Source: The Laziali