Felipe Anderson might choose to stay at Lazio until the end of the season, which could hand Aston Villa a blow in his pursuit.
Fabrizio Romano via Give Me Sport believes Felipe Anderson might not leave Lazio in January despite entering the final six months of his deal. The Brazilian’s decision could be a blow to Aston Villa’s chances of signing the attacker this month.
Felipe Anderson to stay at Lazio?
Some might remember Felipe Anderson for his ill-fated time at West Ham, where he could not click despite the club giving him many chances to do so. A return to Italy favoured the 30-year-old as he has found his best version under Maurizio Sarri at Lazio.
His current deal ends in the summer, which has already alerted many teams, particularly from the Premier League. Tottenham first considered a move. But since then, a host of other sides have come into the picture. Fabrizio Romano points towards Juventus’s interest, as they would like to sign him on a free transfer.
Romano, however, denied there were negotiations ongoing with Aston Villa, although Unai Emery’s side and Fulham have been linked with the Brazilian attacker. The big issue for Anderson with his contract extension at Lazio is the salary package offered by the Italian side. Anderson is currently on a £47,000-a-week deal.
Despite a decent gap in valuations on both sides, there are still chances for Anderson to sign a new deal at the club. Even if he does depart on a free transfer in the summer, Romano insists the chances of the Brazilian staying for the remainder of the season are not under discussion.
Aston Villa handed a blow in Anderson’s chase
If Felipe Anderson does stay put at Lazio, Aston Villa’s plans would come to a halt as Emery wanted the experienced attacker. Villa have lacked an experienced attacker in their ranks, as the Spanish manager has wanted a new wide man since the summer. Leeds United star Crysencio Summerville remains a target, but he too might stay put at the Championship side.
In addition, Emery also wants to strengthen other positions and continues to push the clubs for specific signings. Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe remains a target, and there could be others if they fail in pursuit of the Gunners man.
As for Anderson, he might still consider an offer from Aston Villa or another Premier League side, especially if the proposal matches his financial demand. For now, the Brazilian might lean towards staying at Lazio until the summer. But things could change dramatically in no time, given his volatile contract situation.
