The defender is pushing for a move to Al-Sadd, but Lazio have blocked the transfer — raising the risk of a legal showdown.
A tense standoff is unfolding at Lazio, where Alessio Romagnoli is openly pushing for a transfer that the club has decided to stop.
The 31-year-old center-back has skipped training sessions this week and was left out of the squad for tonight’s Serie A match against Genoa at the Olimpico. Romagnoli is determined not to give up a lucrative offer from Al-Sadd, where a three-year contract worth €6 million net per season is waiting for him.
Only days ago, the move to Qatar appeared all but done. After Lazio’s match in Lecce, an emotional Romagnoli had said goodbye to the fans, convinced his departure was imminent. The agreement with Lazio — including bonuses — was set to reach €10 million, and the deal looked ready to be finalized.
Then came a sudden reversal. Lazio officially took Romagnoli off the market on Sunday, following internal discussions that shifted the final decision to head coach Maurizio Sarri. After the Lecce match, Sarri had publicly described Romagnoli as “irreplaceable,” even suggesting that losing him could jeopardize the club’s survival objectives this season.
Romagnoli, whose contract with Lazio runs until 2027, has not accepted the change of course. In recent days he spoke directly with Sarri, hoping to reopen the door to his exit, but the club’s position has remained firm. Despite his strong emotional attachment to Lazio — a club he has supported since childhood — the defender now considers his cycle in Rome to be over.
With the Qatari transfer window closing on January 31, time is running out. Romagnoli is still hoping to join the team coached by Roberto Mancini, and another late twist cannot be ruled out. However, if neither side backs down, the dispute could escalate into a legal battle, a scenario that would damage both the player and the club.
Meanwhile, Lazio are already preparing for the possibility of life without Romagnoli. The club is monitoring potential replacements, including Diogo Leite and Danilho Doekhi from Union Berlin, as well as Kiko Salas of Sevilla.
What looked like a straightforward exit has now turned into one of the most delicate situations of Lazio’s season — with the next 48 hours likely to be decisive.
