Maurizio Sarri rejected the chance to sign Brazilian midfielder Fred from Manchester United this summer, despite interest from Lazio president Claudio Lotito.
According to reports from Il Messaggero, the 30-year-old had been offered to Lazio by an intermediary, the same individual involved in Daichi Kamada’s next move, and Lotito had initially been keen on the idea.
Now, however, as first reported by Sky Sports in England, Fred is on the verge of joining Galatasaray in a deal worth somewhere in the region of €20m.
Instead, it is reported that Sarri has specific names in mind to rebuild his midfield after the departure of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Saudi Arabia.
Those include Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski, who is into the final year of his contract with Napoli, but could still cost a substantial amount according to Aurelio De Laurentiis’ demands.
21-year-old Samuele Ricci of Torino is also one who is fondly admired by Sarri.
Lotito told Il Messaggero: “As was the case with Lo Celso, he told me no.”
He continued by explaining that Sarri: “is obsessed with Ricci and Zielinski, raising the price for a player with one year left on his contract who doesn’t even want to come to Lazio.”
Meanwhile, there is an agreement in principle in place for 26-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow, who, according to Il Messaggero, has said yes to a five-year contract worth in the region of €2.5m per season.