For many weeks, Aston Villa have been mentioned as a possible destination for Mario Gila. The centre-back’s agent has now opened up about the player’s future.
Last month, Sport Witness covered claims from TuttoSport about growing Premier League interest in the Spaniard. AC Milan have also been in the chase, with Gila having become one of the most trusted defenders in Italy.
Lazio have gone through a financial crisis over the last year or so. This led to major sales in January, as Matteo Guendouzi and Taty Castellanos were sold.
They have come across problems handing Gila a new deal too. As a result, his exit in the summer is becoming more likely.
The centre-back’s agent might now have given an opening to Aston Villa.
Camano reveals no talks with clubs yet
Gila’s representative Alejandro Camano spoke to Radio CRC about his client’s future. He made it clear that no talks have been held with any club, denying the possibility of an agreement with Milan.
The agent, who also represents Lautaro Martinez, appeared to reveal how to potentially go through with a deal.
He said – relayed by SportItalia: “I haven’t spoken to any Serie A team about Mario Gila‘s future. If an offer were to come from any club, they would have to speak directly with Lazio and then with us.
“He played really well against Napoli on Saturday. He’s one of the best central defenders in Italy.”
Apart from Aston Villa, Camano also seemed to encourage Napoli into making an offer.
“Naples is a beautiful city, but anyone who wants to come forward must first speak to Lazio, who are the only ones who hold the player’s rights.”
Our take: Attempt to promote the player
Deliberately, Camano speaks to an outlet which is very close to Napoli and regularly interviews a lot of their players. Coincidentally, this came right after the Italian press linked the Partenopei with a move for Gila.
It shows this is probably Camano’s attempt to attract suitors for his client and possibly tempt Napoli.
In the same interview, he also praises Naples as a city: “If it were up to me, I’d move to Naples tomorrow, but we’re talking about professional football here, and a player’s focus should be solely on Lazio.”
The race for the 25-year-old is very open. Italian clubs usually do not pay big transfer fees and rely largely on initial loans. Moreover, Lazio have always shown a tendency to sell their best players to foreign clubs so that they don’t strengthen their rivals.
That is why the Villans still have a chance at the centre-back. It wouldn’t be a surprise if more English clubs also get linked with the ex-Real Madrid talent.