Lazio are giving serious thought to launching a contract bid for Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli, who could be out of contract at the end of the season. According to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, the Biancocelesti have emerged as a potential destination for the centre-back should extension talks with the Rossoneri collapse.
After announcing the extension of Theo Hernandez’s contract on Friday night, Milan are keen to tie several other first-team members down to new deals. One of them is Romagnoli. Despite his relatively sparse game time, the left-footed defender remains a significant dressing-room figure at the San Siro.
But as ever, reaching an agreement with Mino Raiola is a problem. It appears that last season’s Serie A runners-up are unable or unwilling to meet the super-agent’s wage demands for his client. Romagnoli reportedly asks for around €3m plus add-ons to pledge his future to Milan.
Though it seems like a reasonable request given today’s salaries in world football, the Rossoneri are not in the best financial position to commit to such terms. Yet, following Romagnoli’s recent renaissance on the back of Simon Kjaer’s injury, there is still a healthy amount of optimism that renewal is possible.
However, in case Romagnoli’s ongoing negotiations with Milan break down, Lazio would be ready to swoop in and take the player back to Italy’s capital. The 27-year-old graduated from Roma’s youth academy before joining the Rossoneri in a big-money switch in summer 2015.
Therefore, Romagnoli may not be the most beloved figure at Lazio. But Maurizio Sarri’s desperate need of a reliable centre-back could make the Bianconcelesti faithful ‘forgive’ the Italian his past. Sarri’s men have already conceded 39 goals in Serie A this season, second-most amongst current top-half sides.
Meanwhile, Milan continue to monitor Sven Botman’s development at Lille after bungled attempt to lure him away from Ligue 1 in the January transfer window.