Major underground maneuvers in midfield, even though tomorrow we will see the same trio squeezed in the last five league games. As in Bergamo, even after this break, we will restart with Basic, Cataldi, and Guendouzi, against Lecce at the Olimpico. They are the untouchable workhorses at the moment, despite Vecino being eager for a starting position. Sarri holds onto the Uruguayan, also to give Danilo a break in the playmaker role. Rovella has been out since the derby on September 21, and on Thursday afternoon, he was operated on at the Quisisana clinic by Dr. Guglielmi (the same one who performed Zaccagni’s surgery), and the prognosis is a 40-day stop. We will see Nicolò again in 2026, hoping he can recover good form by early January. Not coincidentally, in the endless emergency, Sarri yesterday gave the okay to reintegrate Dele-Bashiuru in his place. The switch should be completed by today, but the final evaluations remain: FIFA regulations state that national teams can call up players at least two weeks before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (December 21) for training camp preparation. A more than likely call-up from Nigeria (certain from Senegal for Dia) would leave Fisayo available only for the match against Lecce and the two against Milan (the second on December 4 in the Coppa Italia), but Lazio would thus burn the second slot (useful in case of injuries, see the first used with Basic) until June. Therefore, January operations become even more vital. This was discussed at last Friday’s summit in Formello. Sarri has been calling for an additional (quality) midfielder since June, but now there are many more uncertainties in the middle. Among the names most appreciated by Mau is always Ilic from Torino: he does not consider him the ideal playmaker, but he could be useful if needed in that role. Lazio might attempt a swap with Noslin (a former favorite of Baroni) to achieve the Serbian target (dealing with a knee sprain) and simultaneously avoid the Dutchman’s capital loss on the balance sheet.
POSSIBLE EXCHANGES
Awaiting analysis and responses from the Control Commission, ideas are swirling, and the thinking is towards an almost certainly ‘zero balance’ market. Mandas is also on the way out (Stankovic is liked as his replacement), but Lazio wants to sell him only permanently. Here Fiorentina might come into play, already looking for a post-De Gea, for a suggestive swap with Fagioli, who has been appreciated by Sarri since his Cremonese days, proposed but discarded last January in Formello due to complicated off-field matters. The midfielder earns 2 million, and the Viola club paid almost 16 million for him and still owes 10% on reselling to Juventus. The talent room is following 20-year-old David Watson, compared to Miller in Scotland, expiring in June with Kilmarnock. Belahyane is also on the way out; Sarri has never seen him as a low vertex. Javier Fernández, an 18-year-old from Bayern Munich, has been offered.
THE BIG EXIT
Calculations between exits and entries must also be made in view of March. Awaiting the federal council on Monday 24, at the moment, Lazio urgently needs to make capital gains to fall within the 70% threshold of the extended labor cost parameter. Sunderland has come forward, confessing interest in Guendouzi, but in case of sale, Sarri demands a ready substitute of the same level. The Frenchman could leave for a figure between 25 and 30 million, half of which could be reinvested in Giovanni Fabbian from Bologna, an old favorite for over a year. It’s all a game of chance and fitting.
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