After a highly successful season last year, it was important for Lazio to keep hold of their best performers while adding depth to their squad.
Stefano Pioli has kept hold of the likes of Stefan de Vrij and Felipe Anderson (both linked with Manchester United), but will that be enough to build on last year’s position of third in Serie A?
Pioli looks to have bought for the future in this window, with five players coming in under the age of 23. Deals have been made permanent for Dusan Basta and Brazilian defender Mauricio, whilst it is yet to be seen if English starlet Ravel Morrison can reach his limitless potential with the capital club. The capture of Alessandro Matri will bring some much-needed experience to the side that is lacking options in attack. Hopefully he can provide a spark to Pioli’s men after looking timid when they crashed out of the Champions League last week.
IN:
- Dusan Basta, 31, Udinese, €5 million, defender
- Wesley Hoedt, 21, AZ Alkmaar, free transfer, defender
- Ricardo Kishna, 20, Ajax, €4 million, forward
- Alessandro Matri, 31, AC Milan, loan, forward
- Mauricio, 26, Sporting Lisbon, €2.7 million, defender
- Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, 20, Genk, €9 million, midfielder
- Ravel Morrison, 22, West Ham United, free transfer, midfielder
- Patric, 22, Barcelona B, free transfer, midfielder
OUT:
- Lorik Cana, Nantes, free transfer, defender
- Luis Pedro Cavanda, Trabzonspor, €1.75 million, defender
- Michael Ciani, Sporting Lisbon, free transfer, defender
- Ederson, Flamengo, free transfer, midfielder
- Vinicius Freitas, FC Zurich, loan, defender
- Joseph Minala, Latina, loan, midfielder
- Diego Novaretti, Club Leon, free transfer, defender
- Brayan Perea, Troyes, loan, forward
- Bruno Pereirinha, Atletico Paranaense, free transfer, defender
- Enrico Zampa, Ternana, free transfer, midfielder
- Alvaro Gonzalez, Atlas, loan, midfielder
- Cristian Ledesma, Santos, free transfer, midfielder
Arrivals:
Dusan Basta: After making 33 appearances in a defence that kept 14 clean sheets last season, it was an absolute no-brainer to make the Serbian’s loan deal from Udinese permanent. The departure of Luis Pedro Cavanda to Trabzonspor means Basta will face next to no competition at right wing-back.
Wesley Hoedt: A slight unknown quantity have only served one full season in the Dutch top-flight, but the youngster was coveted across Europe with Scottish Champions Celtic heavily linked with the centre half. With Pioli opting for a 5-3-2 formation, any injuries at the back will bring Hoedt into contention.
Ricardo Kishna: A Serie A one to watch for sure, and it hasn’t taken long for the Dutchman to make his mark. The winger scored on his debut for Le Aquile in the win over Bologna, and as the season progresses he may be able to contest with Felipe Anderson for a regular starting place. Labelled as the ‘Dutch Di Maria’, expect pace and power from the 21-year-old.
Alessandro Matri: A man who has been around the block so many times it’s amazing he’s only 31 years of age. Brought in perhaps to be a guiding light to the many youngsters at the club and as an option if the manager ever wishes to play two strikers. With almost 100 Serie A goals to his name, Pioli will have no fear giving the Milan loanee minutes on the pitch, especially with Miroslav Klose scheduled to be out of the lineup until October.
Mauricio: Not a great start from the Brazilian after making last year’s loan deal permanent, receiving a red card in Champions League qualifier 2nd leg against Bayer Leverkusen. Now 26, the centre back should hopefully start to mature and become more composed as a defender. At this time his reckless play and inability to adequately defend has caused instability for Lazio on the back line.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: The most expensive of Lazio’s summer signings, the fans will have high expectations of the Serbian U21 international. With only one season of top-flight experience, with Genk in Belgium, it will be interesting how the central midfielder will adjust to life in Serie A. Milinkovic-Savic came close to a move to Fiorentina this summer, and the club will hope he was worth the fight.
Ravel Morrison: After appearing that the English prodigy would be leaving Pioli’s side before even playing a game, it looks like the Manchester United Academy player will be plying his trade at the Olimpico this season. If he can deliver performances like he did for West Ham two seasons ago, he will terrorise defenders. The main issue for Morrison and his manager will be fitting him into the side. A natural number 10, he will either have to play a more responsible box-to-box midfielder role or as a wide player.
Patric: The last of the young signings, the Spaniard is a product of the Barcelona Academy so you can expect him to be comfortable on the ball. The 22-year-old looks set to feature at wing-back or in central midfield and will perhaps come more into contention as the season progresses to give Dusan Basta a breather.
Departures:
Lorik Cana: After four seasons at the Olimpico it was time for the Albanian to move on. Back and knee injuries cut the defender’s playing time and having just turned 32, there was no worth in offering him a new deal.
Luis Pedro Cavanda: The right back was displaced by now permanent signing Dusan Basta, and it appears that the Belgian became fed up with sitting on the bench most weekends. His pace will be missed in defence, but few teams in Serie A have high flying wingers so Pioli’s men should manage in his absence.
Michael Ciani: Another player who lost his place in the side last season, and the defender never recovered after four months out with a hamstring injury. The player has been on the go this summer, moving on from new club Sporting to Espanyol after just one month.
Ederson: Having only made five appearances last season, it comes as no surprise that the Brazilian has parted company with the club. During his time at Lazio the midfielder had failed to hit the heights he made at Lyon, which earned him a call-up to the Brazilian national side.
Cristian Ledesma: After ten years and 318 appearances it was finally time for the Argentine-born Italian to wave goodbye when he was not offered a new deal. The long time captain was honoured by the club on the website and the midfielder’s presence will be missed on and off the field.
Wrap-up/Verdict:
The transfer window for Lazio can be summed up as a tale of two halves. Le Aquile did much of their business very early on, picking up players that have promise at a relatively low cost. Towards the end of the window the team decided to sell instead of buy, bringing in only one new edition on loan. Unfortunately that is not enough. In order to remain a contender in the Serie A you need to be adding impact players that can contribute to the team immediately. Couple that with the way the competition spent in the window the team will be hard pressed to replicate the success achieved last season. What Lazio fans can hope for is the growth and development of promising young players that can become the core of the team moving forward.
Mercato Grade: D
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