Lazio pull out of deal to sign Enner Valencia
Lazio appear to have ended their interest in West Ham striker Enner Valencia after struggling to agree a fee for the player.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Serie A side have been locked in negotiations with West Ham for Valencia but are yet to come to an agreement and have now turned their attentions elsewhere.
A deal with Sevilla has been agreed to sign striker Ciro Immobile. Lazio will pay €2m to take the former Torino striker on a season-long loan, with an option to buy next summer for €8m, with a four-year permanent contract worth €2m-a-year already agreed with the Italian international.
West Ham were hoping for Valencia to leave on a permanent sale, but Lazio were only offering loan deals for the 26-year-old.
The Ecuadorian striker had agreed to join Lazio but West Ham had turned down their loan bids, the latest worth €3m for the season with an option to buy next summer for €10m.
Slaven Bilic and Co. were looking for a fee worth €18m (£15m) to let go of Valencia this summer, two years after he joined the Hammers for £12m from Mexican side Pachuca, scoring 10 goals in 61 games in the process.
The Italian journalist also claims that Premier League side Swansea are now the closest to Valencia’s signature, but there’s no reported bid as of yet.