Lazio director hits back at Luis Alberto and reveals contract offer for ...
Lazio director Mariano Fabiani hits back at Luis Alberto, saying that the Biancocelesti never promised anything to the Spanish midfielder, and reveals the club have offered a new five-year contract to Juventus target Felipe Anderson.
Fabiani replied to Luis Alberto with an interview with LazioStyle Channel, the club’s official radio station, on Saturday. The Spanish midfielder surprisingly said on Friday that he had demanded to terminate his contract with the Biancocelesti at the end of the season.
“These things happen in football, but perhaps it wasn’t an appropriate night to do so,” Fabiani said as quoted by LaLazioSiamoNoi.
“When Igor Tudor was appointed, he [Luis Alberto] told me that he may have wanted to leave at the end of the season. We told him to end the season as best as possible, but we didn’t make any promises. We didn’t promise we’d rescind his contract.
“Surely, agreements must be respected, but we must analyse this situation deeply with calm and serenity,” continued the Lazio director.
“This will not go unnoticed in the club’s eyes. We are not going to fight, but we don’t accept compromise. I don’t know what happened just six months after his contract extension. I’ll talk to him, but it was not the right place nor the right time to say something like this. We’ll listen to him and see how to move.”
Luis Alberto signed a new €4m-a-year deal until 2027 this past October so his public request was a massive surprise to the club.
Fabiani also revealed a contract offer for Felipe Anderson, who had been strongly linked with a move to Juventus at the end of his Lazio deal in June.
“We offered Felipe Anderson, an exemplary professional, a five-year contract,” said Fabiani.
“Zaccagni’s contract runs out in 2025, and we’ll try to match his needs. He has given a lot to Lazio, but to extend a contract, you need the will of the counterpart, too. If he receives a €50m offer, we can do nothing.”
Zaccagni has also been linked with a move to the Allianz Stadium, but his deal at the Olimpico won’t expire before a year.
Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this week that Juventus are working to finalise Felipe Anderson’s free transfer before focusing on Bologna‘s Riccardo Calafiori.