Premier League duo Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have been handed a potential transfer boost by Lazio’s Serie A president Claudio Lotito ahead of the January transfer window, via Il Messaggero.
While you can understand Leeds’ desire to bring in a new left-back – given the lack of options available to the under-fire Jesse Marsch – Nottingham Forest’s apparent interest in Emmanuele Valeri certainly raises as many eyebrows as it does questions.
Forest, after all, signed no fewer than three left-backs over the summer; Harry Toffolo, Omar Richards and Renan Lodi. But with Richards still recovering from a fractured leg, and with Lodi’s performances on loan from Atletico Madrid leaving a lot to be desired, Forest are reportedly considering a potential £7 million move for Cremonese’s Valeri (La Lazio Siamo Noi).
Lazio are also keen on the Rome-born defender. Ditto Empoli flyer Fabiano Parisi; an exciting, attack-minded full-back also on the radar of a Leeds side sliding down the table after a bright start.
Will Leeds United and Nottingham Forest sign a new left-back in January?
Lotito, however, has played down mid-season moves for either Parisi or Valeri. A new face will only arrive, he says, if Lazio sell one of their current players first.
“The market in January? We will see what to do with (head coach Maurizio) Sarri,” explains the long-serving Serie A chief. “Parisi or Valeri. For left-back, someone has to leave (before a new one arrives).”
The £10 million-rated Parisi, according to his agent, has plenty of admirers from a number of top European leagues. Lazio are far from the only party fluttering their eyelashes in his direction.
“I consider him a great team player,” Mario Giuffredi tells Tuttomercatoweb. “He’s (a player) of the highest standards. He can aspire to important goals. We had many clubs (showing an interest); from Atalanta to Torino to Fiorentina, Leeds and Nice.
“In agreement with Empoli we decided to wait.”
With Junior Firpo and Stuart Dallas suffering from injury issues, Marsch has been forced to field Pascal Struijk as a makeshift left-back for much of this term. Albeit with decidedly mixed results.
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