Lazio are going all-in on Maurizio Sarri to replace Simone Inzaghi on the bench. As expected, Juventus did not pick up the third-year option included in the previous contract of their former boss and paid a €2.5M penalty instead.
If they had activated it, they would have had to hope he resigned and gave up his €7M salary to join another team. However, they faced the risk of having it fully on the books for another season, on top of the wages of two other managers, Andrea Pirlo and Massimiliano Allegri. The transaction will likely facilitate the negotiation between Sarri and the Biancocelesti, Corriere della Sera reports.
The two parties are closing in on a three-year contract worth €4M per year, which would be a significantly richer deal than the one offered to Inzaghi. Director Igli Tare met the gaffer personally yesterday to accelerate the talks. President Claudio Lotito is slated to do the same later in the week, which could lead to the white smoke.
The manager showed appreciation for the current roster, but some tweaks will be necessary. With him at the helm, Lazio would move on from the three-man defense after employing it for five years. However, the squad is already suited for 4-3-1-2, the scheme Sarri used at Empoli and in his first months at Napoli, before switching to 4-3-3.
The 62-year-old coach was considered the frontrunner for the Roma job before the Giallorossi hired José Mourinho out of the blue. He was linked to Tottenham, but the Spurs are eyeing high-profile options such as Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte, Sky Sport reports.