Lazio Considers Icardi Gamble as Gattuso Prefers Different Approach
Lazio have two empty seats on their Serie A squad list and some big names circling, but no one in Formello is rushing to pull the trigger.
With the summer window closed, the club have turned to the free-agent market. Diogo Leite has already walked through the door on a free, yet the omissions of Patric and Luca Pellegrini from the official league list leave president Claudio Lotito with room – and temptation.
At the top of that temptation list sits Mauro Icardi.
Lotito tempted by Icardi, Gattuso hits the brakes
According to Corriere dello Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb, Lotito remains fascinated by the idea of bringing in the former Inter talisman, who is still without a club after his spell at Galatasaray.
On paper, it is the kind of move that lights up a headline: proven Serie A scorer, available immediately, no transfer fee. For a club that often thrives on opportunistic deals, it fits Lotito’s profile perfectly.
But the coach is not sold.
Gennaro Gattuso, pictured on the touchline in Udine during Lazio’s trip to Udinese on September 7, has been clear about the type of centre-forward he wants. He pushed for a more mobile, hard-running No 9 to spearhead his system. That demand led to the late arrival of Andrea Pinamonti before the deadline.
In that context, Icardi looks like a luxury, not a priority. Gattuso is currently channelling his energy into getting Pinamonti fully match-fit and integrated. From his perspective, adding another central striker with a very different profile risks cluttering the picture rather than sharpening it.
The result is a tension familiar in Italian football: a president intrigued by a marquee name, a coach focused on balance and legs.
Bissouma option emerges in injury-hit midfield
While the Icardi debate simmers, another name has entered the frame: Yves Bissouma.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton midfielder is being evaluated as a potential solution to recent injury problems in the middle of the park. Lazio’s engine room has taken some knocks, and Bissouma’s blend of physicality and ball-winning could plug gaps and give Gattuso extra cover in a key area.
Unlike centre-forward, central midfield is an area where the squad’s needs are more obvious. A fit, dynamic Bissouma would address that. The question is whether Lazio are convinced by his current condition and suitability after a stop-start period in England.
Time, not urgency, drives Lazio’s next move
For now, the Roman club are holding their nerve. The open squad spots give them flexibility, not anxiety. There is no rush to sign either Icardi or Bissouma just to make up the numbers.
Lazio will continue to monitor the free-agent market, weigh fitness, form and finances, and decide whether either of these names truly fits Gattuso’s blueprint.
The spaces are there. The clock is ticking slowly. The next move will say plenty about who really sets the sporting direction in Rome – the president with an eye for opportunity, or the coach with a system to protect.
