Lazio President Claudio Lotito met with coach Maurizio Sarri last night for almost three hours to discuss transfer strategy, but reports suggest it only added to the tension between them.
The Biancocelesti have qualified for the Champions League after finishing second in Serie A, so badly need reinforcements to handle two major competitions.
However, despite selling Sergej Milinkovic-Savic for the full €40m asking price, the only new signing has been striker Taty Castellanos from NYCFC.
Sarri is said to be increasingly frustrated, as when the club has gone for particular targets, they proved not to have the characteristics he was looking for.
According to Sportitalia, last night’s summit did not help resolve the problems and if anything made them even worse, because the season kicks off in just over two weeks and it will be too late to get any new buys fully enmeshed in Sarri’s tactical ideas.
Lotito’s public statements have also further damaged the rapport, as he openly criticised the requests from his coach.
“Sarri wanted Tonny Sanabria, but I got Castellanos, who is better.”
The sticking point now is Samuele Ricci, the man Sarri wants to replace Milinkovic-Savic in midfield, but Lazio are still nowhere near meeting Torino’s asking price of €20m plus bonuses.
When Lazio did manage to strike a deal, such as with Eintracht Frankfurt for Djibril Sow, the player has kept them waiting amid interest from Sevilla and Arsenal.
Meanwhile, the club wanted to sign Zakharyan from Dinamo Moscow, but the Corriere dello Sport notes Sarri said he was too green to make the difference.