Lazio Identify Guendouzi’s Replacement as Negotiations With Atletico Madrid Continue | OneFootball

Lazio are working on selling Matteo Guendouzi to Atletico Madrid, before launching an onslaught for Bologna’s Giovanni Fabbian.

The Background

The Biancocelesti have already agreed to sell Taty Castellanos to West Ham United, and Guendouzi appears to be the next player to depart Formello. In recent days, the Frenchman has been linked with a move to Fenerbahce, as well as a swap deal with Atletico’s Giacomo Raspadori.

Ahead of Sunday’s defeat to Napoli, Lazio’s sporting director, Angelo Fabiani, confirmed that the club is willing to negotiate with any suitors interested in the former Arsenal and Marseille man.

Lazio Hoping to Exchange Matteo Guendouzi with Giacomo Raspadori

According to Il Messaggero, Fenerbahce have already made an offer worth €25 million, but Lazio prefer to send Guendouzi to Atletico Madrid in return for Raspadori, who remains Maurizio Sarri’s main target for the striker role. Lazio’s intermediaries were in the Spanish capital on Saturday to negotiate a swap deal.

Raspadori’s Choice & Guendouzi’s Asking Price

The source adds that this operation hinges on Raspadori’s decision, which should arrive on Monday. The versatile attacker could opt to stay with the Colchoneros or accept Roma’s offer. Nevertheless, Diego Simeone would want to sign Guendouzi anyway, but Atletico must meet Claudio Lotito’s unwavering asking price of €30 million.

Lazio Looking to Replace Guendouzi with Giovanni Fabbian

If the Aquile manage to offload the battling midfielder, the Roman newspaper expects them to immediately target Fabbian, who has been on Sarri’s wishlist since the summer. Lazio are willing to offer €15 for the Inter Milan youth product, and they could even go beyond this figure, as the transfer fees and salaries spent on young Italian players (U23) are exempt from the Extended Labor Cost index.

Giovanni Fabbian (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

In addition to Fabbian, Lazio are also interested in AC Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Atalanta’s Lazar Samardzic, but recruiting the 22-year-old Bologna man appears to be the priority for the capital side.