Transfer Centre

Lazio failed in striker hunt

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 03 September 2013

Lazio sports director Igli Tare reveals that the club failed in their attempts to sign Galatasaray striker Buruk Yilmaz and Juventus forward Fabio Quagliarella on transfer deadline day.

Lazio were foiled in their attempts to sign both Buruk Yilmaz and Fabio Quagliarella on transfer deadline day, their sports director Igli Tare has revealed.

The Stadio Olimpico outfit sold Czech international striker Libor Kozak, who netted eight times in the Europa League last season, to Aston Villa for £7m on Monday.

They pursued highly-rated Galatasaray forward Yilmaz and experienced Juventus frontman Quagliarella as potential replacements, but Tare told Lazio Style Radio how both deals fell through.

"We tried to the end to bring Yilmaz to Lazio but what happened yesterday [Monday] is very serious," explained Tare. "His agent made us out-of-the-world requests and so he changed the player's fate.

"We also had an alternative to Yilmaz, and it was [Juventus's striker, Fabio] Quagliarella but when we reached an agreement with Juventus, coach Antonio Conte stopped the player's departure."

Lazio have won one and lost one of their opening two Serie A matches.