While Maurizio Sarri was unwilling to give much away when discussing the future of Lazio’s Vedat Muriqi in his Friday press conference, the fact that he is already facing questions about the strikers future suggests that speculation will never be too far away in the build up to the January transfer window.
“I don’t know what to say about (reports linking Muriqi with) Fenerbahce,” said Lazio’s tab-chewing tactician, via Tuttomercatoweb.
“He is training well, he was disappointed by (the loss against) Bologna like everyone else for the individual and team performance. I really don’t know what to say on the market.”
The fact that Muriqi has scored more goals for his country and the has for his club since moving to the Italian capital in a £15 million deal from Fenerbahce tells it’s own story; a rather depressing one at that.
In 14 months as a Lazio player, the Kosovo international has found the net twice in 42 games, his most recent goal coming all the way back in January.
Muriqi failed to repay Sarri’s faith with an ineffective display during that aforementioned Bologna defeat.
And, given that he’s got the prolific Ciro Immobile for company at the Stadio Olimpico, he may have to wait some time for another opportunity to silence those critics.
A bullet dodged for Tottenham?
Given Tottenham’s recent record when it comes to signing centre-forwards – Carlos Vinicius, Fernando Llorente and Vincent Janssen netted just five Premier League goals between them in Spurs colours – Muriqi feels less like one-that-got-away and more a bullet dodged, Neo-style.
According to Turkish publication Sabah, Tottenham sent scouts to watch the 6ft 4ins targetman in action during his time at Super Lig giants Fenerbahce.
And, at the time, those links made sense. Muriqi, after all, boasted a one-in-two goal ratio in Istanbul.
Unfortunately for Lazio, those free-scoring displays feel like a long time ago now.
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