According to Corriere dello Sport, as cited by Sport, Barcelona are set to face fresh competition from Lazio in the pursuit of Alessio Romagnoli. The Italian giants are aware of the contract situation of the AC Milan defender. As a result, they have joined Barca in the race to sign Romagnoli, with the Spanish giants also keen on securing the services of a new defender in the summer.
One of the best defenders in Serie A
Since his move to AC Milan in 2015, Romagnoli has steadily grown into a top-class defender. In fact, he is considered as one of the best defenders in Serie A, thanks to his performances at Milan over the past few years. He has already made nearly 200 competitive appearances for the Rossoneri.
This season, in particular, Romagnoli’s leadership has been critical following the departure of Leonardo Bonucci. In a season filled with turmoil, the Italian has stood firm, helping his club recover under current manager Stefano Pioli.
While leadership is what makes Romagnoli such a highly-rated individual, he is also equipped with a host of other traits that make him one of the best Italian defenders. Standing at 1.85m, the AC Milan captain has an imposing figure that helps him dominate the aerial balls. He has, in fact, won 2.7 headed duels per game this season.
The Italian international is also good at reading the game. His tally of 45 interceptions is sixth highest in Serie A so far this campaign. Also, Romagnoli has made the third-highest number of clearances in Italy – a tally only bettered by Jhon Chancellor and Fabio Lucioni. Both these players play for clubs that are struggling in the relegation scrap.
Should Barcelona make a move for Romagnoli?
Barcelona’s shortcomings in the attacking department have already been well documented. However, manager Quique Setien also needs to address the defensive department this summer, especially with Gerard Pique nearing the final phase of his career.
Samuel Umtiti has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou while Jean-Clair Todibo has impressed the onlookers in the Bundesliga and it won’t be surprising to see FC Schalke making a permanent move in the summer. That leaves Clement Lenglet as the only reliable long-term option for the Blaugrana.
Romagnoli, in that regard, could be an ideal target for Barcelona. The Italian international can provide the leadership that will be missed in the absence of Pique. In addition, his robust nature of defending could combine well with the much more technical figure of Lenglet, thus adding another dimension to the Barca backline.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
