Lazio are pushing ahead with a deal for Brighton and Hove Albion defender Diego Coppola, with negotiations for him ‘the most advanced’.
Gazzetta dello Sport report on the 22-year-old today and how Lazio are growing confident of getting a deal done.
Brighton talks ‘most advanced’
The newspaper explains that Lazio need to rebuild their central defensive partnership this summer. They have several names at the top of their list and Brighton’s Diego Coppola is one of them.
He’s set to return to Brighton from a loan spell at Paris FC, and the Seagulls are seemingly open to a deal. Negotiations with Lazio are at an advanced stage, but it remains to be seen whether they will be finalised.
Negotiations for the defender at the ‘most advanced’ of various ones that Lazio have underway at present. There have already been several discussions with the player’s representatives.
That’s resulted in a broad agreement that the Brighton defender would be asked to sign. Lazio are offering a five-year deal worth €1.5m per season, rising.
Loan deal the focus
Negotiations with Brighton, meanwhile, are focused on a loan deal with a mandatory purchase clause.
That clause would be set at €11-12m. Lazio are trying to bring the figure down, but don’t intend to push the issue too hard. There’s every confidence that a deal can be finalised at this figures.
Transfermarkt currently rate the centre-back at €18m. So that would be a good deal for Lazio, to say the least. The Seagulls paid €11m for the defender a year ago, so would essentially be making their money back on him. In other words, it could be a deal that suits all parties.
With negotiations already underway, there’s a confidence around Lazio that there’s a deal there to be done. In fact, they appear to be confident that it will be completed sooner rather than later, particularly as they don’t intend to press on Brighton’s asking price.
