Lazio Make U-Turn on Alessio Romagnoli as Al-Sadd Chapter Closes | OneFootball

In a deja-vu scenario from the winter, Lazio have reportedly decided to reinstate Alessio Romagnoli into their squad.

Alessio Romagnoli to Al-Sadd Collapses for The Second Time

The defender’s move to the Middle East has spiralled into a chaotic soap opera with a seemingly unhappy ending for all parties. Romagnoli had already tried to join Al-Sadd in January, but the move faltered just before the deadline when the player refused to accept Claudio Lotito’s request to forgo a three-month salary.

The Qatari champions revived their attempts to buy the Italian centre-back this summer, and this time, they received the green light from Lotito, who accepted a €3 million offer. However, the complicated situation in the Middle East prevented Al-Sadd from making a payment, while Lazio rejected a six-month postponement. Therefore, Romagnoli has recently rejoined his teammates at Formello.

Romagnoli Reinstated at Lazio

Despite his return to the training ground, many sources in the Italian media insisted that the 32-year-old is only biding his time before finding another suitor, with some reports claiming that Lazio are willing to rescind the player’s contract to save €5 million in gross salary.

But according to La Lazio Siamo Noi, an early contract termination isn’t on the table, as Lotito and Co. are willing to bide their time while waiting for offers to arrive at the door. In the meantime, the Lazio hierarchy expects the former AC Milan captain to make himself available to Gennaro Gattuso, as his contract runs until June 2027, at least while awaiting market developments.

Unexpected Lazio Return & Atalanta Interest

This has been an awkward reunion, given how Romagnoli bid the fans goodbye with a video message broadcast during the large anti-Lotito protest held on July 4. The left-footed defender is also a target for Atalanta, who would like to reunite him with Maurizio Sarri, but he is said to prefer an experience abroad, perhaps out of respect for his beloved Biancocelesti club.