Reportedly a target for Jürgen Klopp last November, Sardar Azmoun, or should we say the ‘Iranian Messi’, now looks close to a move to Serie A.
Lazio, still looking for a backup forward after losing out to AC Milan on Fabio Borini, are those in the driving seat, but should apparently be wary of interest from the Premier League in the 22-year-old, according to Il Messaggero.
Sunday’s edition of the newspaper report that both West Ham and Arsenal are also keen on the Rostov star, who scored 12 goals and assisted teammates three times in 41 appearances.
Both Slaven Bilic and Arsène Wenger are known to be each on the lookout for a new forward, yet one of them is more likely to be interested than the other.
With the latter of the two very close to signing off a deal to recruit Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon, and West Ham missing out on Henry Onyekuru to Everton, you would think the Hammers’ need is greater.
Furthermore, with Lazio said to be prepared to bid €10m for Azmoun, the Iran international falls more into the category of players Bilic will be looking at rather than the pool Wenger is likely to be dipping his toes in.
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time Italian papers chucked names of Premier League clubs into the mix just to make a deal for a Serie A club more interesting, and with little in England about said desire to sign the 22-year-old, it could very well be that.
We’ll have to see if this picks up, but for now, we wouldn’t recommend holding your breath.
