The January transfer window is fast approaching, with struggling Serie A giants Lazio facing an uphill task to keep hold of their two star forwards. Mattia Zaccagni and Ciro Immobile have emerged as concrete targets for several Saudi Pro League clubs amid contractual standstills.
During an interview with Corriere dello Sport (via Calciomercato), Zaccagni offered an insight into his immediate plans. The 28-year-old insists he’s keen on winning titles with Lazio, even though the club’s disappointing start to the new campaign casts a large shadow on his lofty ambitions.
“We are recovering after a bad start, but we are strong. Unfortunately, compared to the past, football has changed. It’s important for clubs to get to the Champions League to receive money. For me, however, it is the titles that count. You play to win, and the fans dream of that,” the Lazio winger said.
“A compromise would be to make sure that through the Coppa Italia, we get to the Champions League. Otherwise, there is a risk that clubs, players, and fans will have different priorities. And that creates distance.“
Zaccagni went from strength to strength last season as Lazio defied the odds en route to claiming an impressive runner-up finish in Serie A. The former Hellas Verona star racked up ten goals and seven assists from 35 league appearances, soaking up the limelight as one of Maurizio Sarri’s most industrious forwards.
However, affected by the team’s epic downfall, Zaccagni has stuttered in 2023/24, registering just one goal and one assist across 15 competitive matches. On top of that, his extension talks with Lazio have hit a dead end, prompting intense speculation over his long-term future at the Stadio Olimpico.
Everything’s on hold for the moment. Zaccagni’s current contract at Lazio runs out in 2025. It gives Biancocelesti a tight timeframe to strike a new deal. Otherwise, they may have to consider offloading their first-team regular at the end of the season to avoid the risk of losing him on a free transfer.
But with the wealthy Saudi clubs targeting Zaccagni, Lazio may not have to wait that long. Known for their tendency to close high-profile deals in a blitz, the Middle East’s sides could take advantage of the Italian’s contract wobble to force Claudio Lotito’s hand this winter. The same thing happened with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the summer.
Zaccagni won’t necessarily go alone. Immobile was heavily linked with a big-money switch to football’s new promised land in the last transfer window. Although he eventually decided to stay at Lazio, there’s a feeling he has quickly come to regret that choice. As he approaches the autumn of his playing career, his chances of landing another lucrative contract are dwindling.
Catching the last train to Saudi Arabia is perhaps his final opportunity to bolster his balance sheets. And while Sarri remains hopeful of convincing the 33-year-old to pledge his future to Lazio, the reality screams otherwise. There’s no chance that Immobile would pass on another mega-money contract offer if it arrives in the winter.
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