Lotito: Castellanos and Guendouzi wanted Lazio exit, Raspadori ‘is not Maradona’ | OneFootball

Lazio President Claudio Lotito insists that Matteo Guendouzi and Valentin Castellanos wanted to leave the club in January and denies interest in Giacomo Raspadori: ‘He’s not Maradona.’

Lazio President Lotito says the Biancocelesti have sold Castellanos and Guendouzi because the players wanted to leave the club.

Castellanos has joined West Ham, while Guendouzi is on the verge of signing with Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Lazio have already replaced the pair by welcoming Petar Ratkov and Kenneth Taylor. The Dutch midfielder underwent medical tests today and Lazio are expected to confirm his transfer from Ajax in the coming hours.

“We had to sell two players because they wanted to leave, not because we wanted to sell them, but we have replaced them with strong and promising players,” Lotito told reporters on Friday via Gazzetta.

Several Italian sources reported that Lazio were interested in Atletico Madrid striker Raspadori, but the Italian is now close to reaching an agreement with the Biancocelesti’s city rivals, Roma.

Lotito: ‘Raspadori is not Maradona’

GETAFE, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 23: Giacomo Raspadori of Atletico de Madrid celebrates his team’s first goal which was an own goal scored by Domingos Duarte of Getafe CF (not pictured) during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Getafe CF and Atletico de Madrid at Coliseum Alfonso Perez on November 23, 2025 in Getafe, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

“Who is Raspadori? It’s not like he’s Maradona,” said ironically.

“He’s a substitute at Atletico Madrid.”

Lotito hits out at referees

Lastly, Lotito continued to protest about referees as he feels the team has been damaged by their decisions in the current campaign.

Claudio Lotito owner and president of S.S Lazio celebrates with supporters at the end of the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg between Lazio and Bayern Munich at the Olympic stadium on February 14, 2024 in Rome. Lazio won 1-0. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

“Lazio miss eight or nine points because of certain referee decisions,” he concluded.

“We are not the only ones to have been harmed, but we’ve probably been the most damaged. It’s a situation that must be solved. Don’t forget that we are a club listed on the stock market, so financial damages coming from these matters have a big impact.”