On Tuesday, we covered a report in Portugal stating that Lazio weren’t particularly high on Gelson Martins’ list of future clubs, with Premier League a much preferred destination.
Arsenal have also been mentioned as one of the many clubs keen on the Portuguese forward’s services, who has decided to rescind his contract with Sporting CP after the end of season attacks on players from a group of fans.
That would therefore mean the Gunners have the upper hand in the race to sign the 23-year-old, but Corriere dello Sport on Wednesday are adamant Lazio aren’t ready to give up on signing Martins just yet.
The Italian newspaper explain the Serie A side ‘aren’t scared’ of Arsenal and their money, and have made a move to know the difficulties related to the operation, including how much the Portuguese forward could ask seeing as he’s a free agent.
Igli Tare, Lazio’s director of football, seems intent on getting his man, who would be ideal to replace West Ham target Felipe Anderson, and there’s always the possibility he could pick up his phone and give a certain Jorge Mendes a call, whom he knows well.
The super agent, who doesn’t have Martins as a client, is known to have the ability to decide a player’s future, and could apply the right pressure to help the Serie A side get their man.
Arsenal have been warned.
