The former Bimingham City striker is facing a battle to secure a move from his current side due to the hefty price tag slapped on the player by president Claudio Lotito

Mauro Zarate faces a "war" with Lazio according to the player's agent, who has given the Serie A side five days to lower the attacker's price tag or face the consequences.

The Argentina international’s representative Luis Ruzzi believes a January sale for the player will be difficult at this time due to the Biancocelesti's valuation of the forward.

“Our position is clear: either we go to the end of the contract and then evaluate a future move, or the president lowers his expectations so we can consider offers from teams that are on a par with or superior to Lazio,” said Ruzzi on Tuttomercatoweb.

The 25-year-old has been frozen out of the team since his refusal to sit on the bench a month ago, though has been linked with a number of clubs including Fenerbahce and Genoa.

But his agent fears nobody will be prepared to meet the Serie A outfit's valuation of the forward, who still has 18 months left to run on his contract.

He added: “I have gone round Europe and there are no clubs interested in the figures president Claudio Lotito is bandying about. So the war starts now.

“We are giving Lotito five days to lower Mauro’s price-tag, otherwise we’ll go into the final six months of the contract and that’ll be his problem."