Reported Everton and Newcastle United target Ciro Immobile is not happy with his own form at present, with Lazio’s Scudetto dreams stuttering to a halt, while speaking to Leggo.
If Simone Inzaghi’s exciting underdogs were to end Juventus’s decade-long dominance and secure the Italian crown for the first time in 20 years, they needed the hottest striker in Serie A to hit the ground running after the season resumed in June.
But while Immobile has scored twice in four matches, taking his personal tally to 32, he has also squandered a host of opportunities – especially during a 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Lecce last time out.
As a result, Lazio have gone from genuine title challengers to merely battling for the runners-up spot, having slipped seven points behind a more functional-than-thrilling Juve side.
“After the lockdown, it was not me anymore and I have to go back more calm,” says Immobile, who still has time to match his remarkable tally of 41 from two years ago.
“This is not the real Ciro. I have to do more.
“(Lazio) were penalized by the lockdown. We were no longer the same especially from a mental point of view. It is not an excuse, but a fact.”
A brief slump (if you can call two goals in four games a slump) is unlikely to put off the likes of Newcastle or Everton if Lazio are willing to listen to offers for one of Europe’s most prolific marksmen this summer.
Citta Celeste reported in April that Everton were prepared to offer Immobile £130,000-a-week at Goodison Park while Newcastle, if that long-awaited Saudi takeover finally goes through, are willing to make him their £49 million record signing (Gazzetta in June).
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