Mauro Zarate Was Never Close To Joining Tottenham - Lazio President Claudio Lotito

Mauro Zarate's reported move to Tottenham was never on course to take off, claims Lazio chief Claudio Lotito.

On Tuesday reports in England claimed Claudio Lotito was in London dealing with Tottenham for Zarate.

However, Lotito claims that was nothing more than final day transfer market speculation.

"Was Zarate close to Tottenham? I will not speak about this. It would be useless," he told Calcionews24.com.

"Some time ago I said that Lazio would not be selling their champions, and Zarate did not leave.

"I think that our promises were maintained." Read More..

Try this at home! Here's all the combinations for Lazio's next line-ups!

As you can easily spot on the picture Lazio played against Auronzo Representatives (winning 10-0) and Ballardini tried up to three players in each role. Something never seen at Lazio. The squad has never been so vast, but the coach now undeniably has more than one option.

With Quadri and Artipoli leaving for Lega Pro side Pescina VdG and Tuia joining Monza, the squad members are now 31 even if Ballardini said that the ideal squad would be made up of 25 players and even if Ledesma, Pandev and De Silvestri confirmed their will of leaving the club, even after talking with the coach. My impression here is that they tend to feel a little bit over rated at Lazio where they established themselves as top players. Ledesma though is being impressive in these first days of pre-season training. The same can be said about Goran Pandev. Mauro Zarate instead looks a bit different. Longer hair and a different position for the Argentinean striker. Ballardini considers him as a second striker and decided to pitch him on the left in the 3-men line which would be composed of Foggia on the right, Mauri in the centre just behind the lone striker (Rocchi or Cruz?) and Mauro Matias would then act on the left flank, hopefully still providing the fans with his skills. He didn’t impress the crowd though at the reprisal. He didn’t score in his first friendly and even kicked a ball up in the sky after taking a free-kick during the training. Something that never happened with him before.

Rocchi in the meanwhile has declared he wants to hit 100-record goals in a Lazio shirt and told Pandev to stay because he wants to beat the duo Signori-Casiraghi's goals record.

Scaloni, as we said, should stay and he’s the joker in the squad during these days.

Stendardo wants to stay and he’s thinking to give Lotito back the 100 thousand euros he got after suing Lazio. His action would be intended to make the president forget about the past so that he could win back his trust and get a chance to play under Ballardini. You don’t buy truust, that’s for sure, but Stendardo’s attempt could be a good move. He turned down offers from Bari, Livorno and other two foreign teams in order to stay at Lazio.

Eliseu kept running all the time on the flank but sometimes he tends to lose his position. «That's why he comes from another kind of football. He has to get used to our football», insisted Ballardini. The new coach was also questioned about the arrival of a new central defender: «I cannot speak about new arrivals having 31 players in the squad! And if Lazio conceded too many goals last season, it wasn't only defence's fault. What I can say now is that we'll be ready for the 8th August». In the meanwhile Inter Milan flew to Los Angeles to get their pre-seaosn started. Ibrahimovic looks like he's to stay but who knows with all this transfer market madness. And last but not least if you wish you can carve your name in a Bird's Nest seat in Beijing before the Supercup is played. Beijing Yihai Auction Company announced yesterday that the auction will take place on 31st July and everyone who intend to join the auction should leave 10,000 euros deposit. Obviuously the proposal seems to be addressed mainly to sponsors...

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Lazio Plan Swoop For Porto Midfielder Mario Bolatti

The Biancocelesti have identified the Argentine as the ideal replacement for the outgoing Ledesma. Midfielder Cristian Ledesma has demanded to leave Lazio this summer and the Eternal City club have laid eyes on Porto central midfielder Mario Bolatti, according to reports in the Corriere dello Sport.

The 24-year-old spent the last six months on loan at Huracan and played a crucial role, along with new Palermo signing Javier Pastore, as the Argentine side narrowly missed out on the Clausura title.

The towering playmaker, renowned for his aerial ability and tough tackling, also netted five goals in 19 appearances for Los Quemeros.

Ledesma handed in a transfer request last month, along with Goran Pandev and Lorenzo De Silvestri, but Lazio President Claudio Lotito is expecting a bid in excess of €15million to release the Argentine playmaker.

Meanwhile, Lazio are also monitoring 21-year-old Boca Juniors defender Juan Forlin, who had a spell at Real Madrid in 2007, but the Aquile first need to part with Brazilian Emilson Cribari, who has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Olimpico. Read More..

Boca Juniors Midfielder Sebastian Battaglia Wants Lazio Move

The 28-year-old would like to try his luck with the Biancocelesti...

Boca Juniors midfielder Sebastian Battaglia has revealed that his preferred destination is Serie A outfit Lazio.

"They are talking about me in Italy? Well, for now there is nothing concrete," he said to the microphones of lalaziosiamonoi.

"I would like to come to Lazio, because it is a great team. I speak with my agent often and don't know how long I can wait."

However, the former Villarreal player did hint that his future could be settled very soon.

"Right now I'm on my vacation with my family - recharging the batteries. Tomorrow morning I return to Buenos Aires and will speak with my agent and find out any news."

Battaglia, as well as his team-mate Rodrigo Palacio have strongly been linked with another Serie A side in Genoa during the past few days. Read More..

Julio Cruz Admits He May Sign For Lazio Shortly

Julio Cruz is searching for a new club for next season, after being released by his now former club Inter, a little earlier in the summer.

The talented 34-year-old has a wealth of talent and experience at his disposal, meaning that he would be an ideal addition to almost any club in the Italian peninsula.

One club that has strongly been linked with him has been Lazio, and according to the latest reports, as well as the latest words from the player himself, this move may very well go through by the end of the week.

According to Sportsmediaset, there is an offer on the table for Cruz and his agent to consider. A two year deal worth around €2 million per season is what has been proposed at present, and it is expected that a decision will be made in the coming days.

In a recent interview, the striker briefly discussed these latest rumours surrounding his future.

“It is true, I could very well be a Lazio player by the end of the week,” Cruz stated.

“We will have to wait and see though.” Read More..

Valencia And Villarreal Join Carrizo Chase

Lazio's goalkeeper has no shortage of admirers after two more Spanish clubs registered their interest...

Valencia and Villarreal have joined Atletico Madrid in their quest to prise Juan Pablo Carrizo away from Lazio in the summer and prevent him from returning to Argentina.

The two Spanish clubs are both looking for a new goalkeeper and have identified the unsettled 25-year-old as a good option, as he looks set to leave the Roman outfit.

Carrizo has only been at Lazio for one season but he has been unable to get a regular place in the team and a number of reports have linked him with a move away from the capital this summer.

Atletico were rumoured to have made enquiries in April, but were told that they could only start talks if they were willing to speak about Maxi Rodriguez moving in the opposite direction.

River Plate have also been asked to be kept informed about the 'keepers movements, as they would be keen to take back the player that rose through their youth ranks, according to AS.

Villarreal, meanwhile, want competition for Diego Lopez, after Sebastian Viera revealed that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season and they have already been linked with several custodians.

Valencia are unsure about Renan Brito, after he failed to impress in his first few months at the club, before picking up an injury and being kept out of the first team by veteran Cesar Sanchez. Read More..

Lazio Want Edgar Barreto - Reggina Director

The Biancocelesti are highly interested in signing the Paraguayan player from the already relegated side.

Down and out of Serie A, and into Serie B as Reggina become the first Serie A side to be relegated this season

Reggina Sporting director Gabriele Martino has admitted that Lazio and several other clubs are interested in midfielder Edgar Barreto as the transfer window approaches.

However, the Amaranto are not ready to sell Barreto on a co-ownership deal or on a loan transfer, as they will only accept a definite deal.

"It's not something new that Lazio like Barreto," explained the Reggina director to Lalaziosiamonoi.it. "I think that right now Lazio must solve the problems related to who will be the coach and then think about the future.

"I would say that the amount is around €7- or €8 million. This is an evaluation based also on the contacts we had with other clubs.

"The player is an important one and with us he has been doing well for the past two years."

The 24-year-old player has been at Reggina since 2007 following his move from NEC, and in two seasons he has collected 58 appearances and scored four goals.


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Iaquinta, Borrielo, Pastore, Di vaio close to Lazio..

Goran Pandev ends here. The road is mapped out, who knows how it will end the ballet but the final seems to have written. And the destination country as well: the Juventus. So, better think about the future. How many times has felt Delio Rossi said that "Lazio has a center of weight, we need to get a goal with a power." Here's the technical gap that Lazio must fill, regardless of who will be the future coach. Lotito has clear ideas: with these Pandev Lotito wants to ask Vincenzo Iaquinta. He is the object of the desires biancocelesti. Name it and dream at the moment.

But certainly there is that Iaquinta is on the market, so much so that Juve wants to monetize the transfer by sending the player abroad. Lotito, however, is a tough, history teaches him: remember the deal Oddo? And the negotiations leading to long dream could materialize. Among other things, Iaquinta earns 1.5 million salary that now fall under the parameters of Lazio. I have a dream, though. And another name is Marco Borriello: The Milan Ancelotti had a great sponsor. But the bench of Milan is set to change. Iaquinta or Borriello: near Zarate would show.

And then, after the dreams, the most workable slopes. One name on everyone: Marco Di Vaio. It is a story with loss by 'but', this. But Di Vaio in February said: "The Sydney is my home, but I am not new to Bologna." But the striker was already close to Lazio in 2007, then chose other roads Lotito. And yet ... and yet the Lazio Di Vaio is a business that can be achieved. Much will depend on the race salvation: if Bologna were demoted, despite the declarations of love, it would be really difficult to keep the current leading the championship. See him in a series B that fighting for the salvation marked 23 goals?

Of course, with Di Vaio on the technical design is different from the dream Iaquinta. But in any case the rossoblù is a first point, much more than it has Pandev. The summer of 2009, therefore, may represent a return to the past for Di Vaio. Lotito has explained: "The horses I like no return." But he himself for striker Roman made an exception: in 2007 made him a long time, then changed direction at Di Vaio and chose Genoa. Now the story may change. Fifteen years later won the Scudetto Primavera with Mimmo Caso bench and Alessandro Nesta as a companion. And twelve seasons after that assignment outright to Salernitana with Delio Rossi on the bench.

The dreams, certainties. And then all bets. This is hardly shocked: in all, the arrival of a year ago, Zarate was a bet. But with the eye along the business can be done. Lotito had the right idea a couple of months ago with Arnautovic, then flew away. But another couple of bets to be done there, all over Europe and South America. Eden Hazard and Javier Pastore, two names that are Formello home a lot '. Suffered clarify: we are not talking about real attackers, but two players in the talent and imagination and have nothing to envy to Pandev.

Hazard has 18 years last January 7. The Belgian, in November 2008 - still a minor - has already debuted in the national higher. It is considered one of the best young people in the world. Play in France in Lille, a company which has excellent relations Lotito after the event Lichtsteiner, bought from Lazio, without recourse to Article 17. It is a trequartista. And Pastore, talent from Huracan, which has opened a real auction internationally. I want to play Manchester United, says the Inter, Palermo him holding her. Lazio follows him for months, hoping to find another Zarate.


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