It’s no secret that Leonardo, Paris Saint-Germain’s sporting director, prefers to look for talent in Serie A.
In his first stint at PSG (2011-13) as the director of football, Leonardo pillaged the Italian league by signing Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Motta, Javier Pastore, Thiago Silva, and Marco Verratti.
Leonardo returned to Serie A as AC Milan’s sporting director in the summer of 2018 but only lasted through one season before rejoining PSG on July 1, 2019.
Since he’s been back at PSG, Leonardo has only made one signing from Italy and that was a loan deal with an option to buy for Mauro Icardi from Inter Milan.
This summer though, I think PSG supporters will be tracking quite a few private jets making the trip from Italy to Paris.
According to L’Equipe, Leonardo is closely monitoring SS Lazio and is considering making a move for three individuals in particular who have propelled the Rome-based club to second place in the Serie A table.
Leonardo has never really warmed to current PSG manager Thomas Tuchel. He didn’t sign him and Tuchel’s sideline altercations with Kylian Mbappé, a player who is vital to PSG’s success, surely hasn’t sat well with him either. If Tuchel fails to get past Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League, it’s an almost certainty that he will be sacked and PSG will need a new manager.
Massimiliano Allegri is one name that has been floated as a potential replacement, but Leonardo also appears to be tracking Lazio’s Simone Inzaghi. The report from L’Equipe reveals that the two met recently in Rome and that Leonardo has a fondness for him.
Inzaghi is a former Italy international and his 3-5-2 system has led to Lazio having the second-best attack in Serie A with 55 goals and the best defense in the country with only 21 goals allowed. It might be complicated to get Inzaghi out of his contract, which runs until June 2021, but Leonardo is a competent negotiator and I’m sure a deal can get done if Inzaghi is interested in the move.
Another Lazio target is right-midfielder Adam Marusic who recently returned from a muscle injury. Transfermakrt currently rates Marusic at €7 million and his versatility would certainly come in use at PSG.
Several defensive players, including Layvin Kurzawa, Thomas Meunier, and Thiago Silva, are expected to depart the club this summer when their contracts expire and Leonardo will need to restock the defense with Marusic being an affordable and talented option.
The big fish in the Lazio sea that Leonardo wants to hook is Sergej Milinković-Savić. The Serbia international is expected to fetch upwards of €100 million according to the report from L’Equipe and PSG will have to battle several top clubs for his signature.
The fight is well worth it though. Milinković-Savić is easily one of the best midfielders in Europe and it shouldn’t be a surprise that the striker in front of him, Ciro Immobile, is the top scorer in Serie A with 26 goals this season. Leonardo wanted the 24-year-old while he was at AC Milan but with PSG’s finances and Champions League football to offer, this summer could be the perfect opportunity to splash the cash.
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