Lazio Transfer Market: Mauro Icardi Plays for Time; Two Alternatives for the Argentine

Lazio, still licking its wounds after its sudden elimination from the Coppa Italia, is trying to find solace in Mauro Icardi. The Argentine forward, a free agent following the end of his stint at Galatasaray, has become one of the Biancocelesti’s top targets. The former Inter captain is expected to announce his decision by midweek.

The second-round elimination at the hands of Mantova has left its mark on the Lazio camp. Gennaro Gattuso’s team got off to a good start at the Olimpico, with Dele-Bashiru hitting the post, but in the second half they squandered their lead through Cancellieri and were punished by Ruocco in the 75th minute and Cajazzo in the 96th minute, resulting in a crushing 0-2 defeat. Not even the introduction of new signing Frattesi in the 70th minute managed to turn the tide of the match against a Serie B side—a result that has increased the pressure on the Biancocelesti management and made the need to act in the transfer market even more urgent.

The pursuit of Icardi has gained momentum in recent weeks, after the club made an initial exploratory inquiry. The Argentine, who has been training on his own with a private fitness coach since leaving Galatasaray, has received offers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, but the door to Rome has never been completely closed. Claudio Lotito also indirectly kept the speculation alive: The Lazio president, responding to a call from a fan, confirmed Frattesi’s arrival and, when pressed on the Icardi rumor, did not deny the deal, brushing off the question with an eloquent “Give it a rest… shut up” before hanging up. The main sticking point remains his salary: the Argentine’s financial demands are very high, and for the transfer to be a realistic possibility, he would need to significantly scale back his demands.

If the answer is no, Claudio Lotito’s club would turn to other options, preferably on loan. Among these is Lorenzo Lucca, about whom Genoa and Torino have also inquired. The other name being considered is Andrea Pinamonti: for the Sassuolo striker, Lazio is said to have proposed a paid loan with an option to buy, using a formula similar to the one proposed for Frattesi with Inter. Sassuolo, however, continues to value Pinamonti at a significant figure, bolstered by the possibility of extending the 1999-born player’s contract by another season, pushing its expiration date to 2028.

As for Lucca, his situation is closely tied to Napoli’s moves in the attacking market. With the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Fenerbahçe, the Neapolitan club has freed up significant resources and is firmly targeting Gabriel Jesus, the Brazilian forward set to leave Arsenal: It is precisely the Brazilian’s potential arrival that would effectively render Lucca’s continued presence with the Azzurri unnecessary, as coach Allegri would prefer to rely on Jesus as the starting center forward. Napoli, however, has no intention of lowering its asking price after investing 35 million euros in the striker, complicating the loan deal Lazio had hoped for. It’s worth noting that Lucca finished the preseason as Napoli’s top scorer with three goals, ahead of Politano, De Bruyne, and Hojlund—though these numbers haven’t yet dispelled doubts about his future with the Azzurri.

Meanwhile, in the background, the issue surrounding Alessio Romagnoli is also causing a stir—another transfer conundrum that Lazio’s management must resolve. The defender, who is under contract with Lazio through 2027, was not called up for the match against Mantova—officially due to a physical issue—but his future seems increasingly likely to lie outside the capital. Talks have resumed with Al-Sadd, which is said to have asked the player to be patient a little longer while they wait for the right conditions to finalize the deal, while the possibility of a move to Atalanta—where he would be reunited with Maurizio Sarri—also remains on the table. Lotito finds himself in a position where he must sell him during this transfer window to avoid losing him on a free transfer in twelve months.