Lazio steps up pursuit of Nigeria's Simeon Nwankwo as it tables €10m bid for the striker

ITALIAN giants Lazio have stepped up their pursuit of Super Eagles striker Simeon Nwankwo and are willing to pay €10m to prize the lanky forward away from recently relegated rivals Crotone.

 

Keen to add Nwankwo to their forward line ahead of the new season, Lazio have already mandated former Super Eagles striker Stephen Ayodele Makinwa, who now works as a player agent to push through the move. Tall, rangy and leggy, Nwankwo is a great targetman who made Nigeria's 2018 World Cup squad and even came on as a late substitute in the final match against Argentina.

 

Lazio are thus keen to secure his services but Crotone are hanging on to see if they will be reinstated in the Serie A before deciding on Nwankwo's sale. Nwankwo ended last season on a high with five goals in the final seven games of the season but it was still not enough to help his team remain in the Italian top flight.

 

However, Crotone could be reinstated in Serie A with the positions of Parma and Chievo under threat for different offences. Both clubs have been subject of separate investigations with Parma accused of attempted match fixing for a game against La Spezia in Serie B last season, while Chievo face punishment for falsely accounting the transfers of 30 players with Cesena.

 

Italian FA’s sports tribunal suggested punishments which would eventually see them relegated if found guilty. If that happens then Crotone would likely be reinstated to the top flight and may be reluctant to release Nwankwo unless Lazio up its offer.

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