Lazio have entered negotiations to sign Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasalic on loan, according to the Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Calciomercato.com).
Whether this story has any truth to it is debatable as the Croatian only has a year left on his contract. The Italian club are said to have offered to buy the player at the end of loan, which wouldn’t make any sense considering he will be available on a free transfer next summer.
Unless the loan spell is for six months, and the 22 year old will then sign permanently in January, there doesn’t seem to be much incentive for Chelsea to agree to the proposal.
The midfielder, who has had spells on loan at Elche, Monaco and AC Milan over the last three years, will only be sold if a bid of €10m is offered, according to ABC Sevilla; a figure which scared off another suitor Real Betis.
Whether Lazio are prepared to pay such a number is questionable if they have entered negotiations on the basis of an initial loan. The Blues could extend Pasalic’s contract to allow a loan to go ahead, but they would have to be certain that the Italian club would sign the Croatian international at the end of the temporary move.
