Lotito: Rejected ‘obscene’ SMS offer

By Football Italia staff

Lazio owner Claudio Lotito claims he rejected an ‘obscene’ bid for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic as ‘I made a pact with Simone Inzaghi that I wouldn’t sell him’.

Milinkovic-Savic was one of the most sought-after players of the summer transfer window, but the midfielder ultimately stayed at Lazio and Lotito asserted he was the only Serie A President who would have turned down such an offer.

“I made a pact with the Coach that I wouldn’t sell him over the summer,” he told Il Tempo.

“We received a very big offer for him a day before the market shut and we had a plan to replace him, but there wasn’t enough time.

“Some well-meaning people decided to bring the deadline forward in my absence, but the League has opened itself to damage, taking away the possibility of doing deals until August 31 like in Spain or France.

“When a bid arrives on August 17 and the market shuts a day later, I couldn’t sell him, above all for the promise I made to the Coach: I honour the promises I make.

“I won’t mention figures, but certainly it was an obscene offer that I think no-one else in Italy could’ve refused. I can say that without the fear of being a hypocrite.

“I don’t work for money, I like to overcome challenges. We’ll see if I was right or wrong to do what I did. I could’ve sold him for a lot of money but didn’t.”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £9.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow