Lazio President Claudio Lotito is ‘disappointed on a personal level’ with Simone Inzaghi’s decision to join Inter. ‘I had signed the contract, he never turned up to do the same.’
The coach had seemingly agreed an extension to June 2024 after a lengthy meeting and dinner last night, but today changed his mind and will sign a two-year deal with Inter tomorrow.
“I was disappointed on a personal level. He changed his mind from last night to this morning,” Lotito told Calciomercato.com.
“The contract was all ready, I had signed it. He was meant to meet with secretary Calveri to sign it too, but he never turned up.
“He called, told me that he slept on it and had decided to leave. We spent seven hours together yesterday, we reached the agreement and had even shaken on it.
“He told me that he had no more motivation, that wouldn’t have been able to fire up the players. When someone says that, how can you think of keeping him?
“If he’d told me that the night before, I wouldn’t have prepared the contract to be signed.”
Lotito’s bitterness at the change of heart is evident by the fact that in the official club statement and throughout this interview, he never said Inzaghi’s name.
Inzaghi was at Lazio for over 21 years as player and then coach, winning the Coppa Italia and two editions of the Italian Super Cup.
The tactician had said he was irritated last week at being made to wait 16 months for a new contract, as his deal was due to expire on June 30.
The delay backfired on Lazio, as Inzaghi was then free to agree terms with Inter.