Although Maurizio Sarri has up to two guaranteed goalkeepers to defend Lazio’s goal, the situation will change completely during the next season. In the same way that Pepe Reina and Thomas Strakosha, 39 and 27 years old, have shared the minutes and games this year under the goalposts biancoceleste, playing 17 and 23 games respectively in all competitions, the Spanish and Albanian goalkeepers of Lazio end their contract on June 30. The renovation process of the Laziale goal will begin this summer and, although there are numerous and important names that have been related to the Roman box, from Italy place a Spanish goalkeeper as the main objective of the biancocelesti: Sergio Rico.
“It’s the first name and the first option,” says the Gazzetta dello Sport. Lazio would want the Spaniard, owned by Paris Saint-Germain and currently on loan at RCD Mallorca, to become Maurizio Sarri’s starting goalkeeper for next season. The Italian newspaper adds that the contacts between the Italian team and PSG are “constant”, since the Parisians have a well-covered goal with Gianluigi Donnarumma and Keylor Navas, and they would be looking for a way out for the 28-year-old Spanish goalkeeper. While, in case of reaching an agreement -Lazio’s intention is to acquire the Sevillian’s services on loan with a purchase option-Sergio Rico would arrive in Rome to take over the starting position, the biancoceleste board is also thinking of a second signing for the goal that serves the current Mallorca goalkeeper as competition. “Lazio is looking for a second goalkeeper: a convincing profile is that of Ivan Provedel, from Spezia. The 28-year-old Italian could be the man to complete the squad renewal,” says the Journal.
One of the names that had sounded the strongest to renew the Laziale goal was that of Kepa Arrizabalaga. Maurizio Sarri’s predilection for Ondárroa’s goalkeeper, whom he had under his command at Chelsea, as well as Kepa’s situation in the Blue team, which seems to have lost the battle for ownership with Édouard Mendy despite the great performance shown in recent months, they placed the one who was international with Spain at the top of the target list. However, from Italy they affirm that “the options Pierluigi Gollini, owned by Atalanta but loaned to Tottenham, and Kepa Arrizabalaga, who likes several Premier League clubs, have lost interest”.