LAZIO SEAL CANNAVARO AGREEMENT
by Riccardo Burgalassi & Graeme Bailey
EXCLUSIVE
LAZIO have formed an agreement with Parma which gives the Italian champions first option on Fabio Cannavaro, and a fee of £33 million has been agreed between the two clubs.
The 26-year-old was one of the best defenders in Euro 2000, and Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti has decided to head off interest from around Europe - including Manchester United, by agreeing the unusual deal which is know as an 'Opzione'.
Cragnotti is good friends with Parma president Calisto Tanzi and the two supremos have agreed to the deal which will see Cannavaro move to the Stadio Olimpico in 2001, as long as the player does not get injured in the intervening season.
The two clubs have just concluded the £37 million deal for Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo, which smashed the world record transfer fee, and should the Cannavaro move be completed, it would be the second biggest in footballing history.
The pair will meet again next week to complete the details of the transfer and if the deal is completed, as expected, then Lazio's spending for the summer will be approaching £100 million.
The Roman giants have already signed, Claudio Lopez from Valencia (£16.5 million), Angelo Peruzzi from Inter Milan (£10.1 million) and have also just completed the signing of Udinese duo Stefano Fiore and Guiliano Giannichedda for £27 million - but both have been immediately loaned back to the Friuli stadium outfit for next season.
Yet another deal expected to be finalised within the next week is the transfer of Barcelona winger Boudewijn Zenden.
The two clubs have reportedly agreed a fee of just over £8 million for the 23-year-old Dutch international, who is to sign a five-year-deal with the Italian champions.
Meanwhile, contrary to reports, Croatian international striker Alen Boksic has yet to sign for Galatasaray, but he is set to leave the Stadio Olimpico in the summer.
http://www.optasoccer.com
I just want to say, "wow, Grazie Cragnotti and Benvenuto Cannavaro."
by Riccardo Burgalassi & Graeme Bailey
EXCLUSIVE
LAZIO have formed an agreement with Parma which gives the Italian champions first option on Fabio Cannavaro, and a fee of £33 million has been agreed between the two clubs.
The 26-year-old was one of the best defenders in Euro 2000, and Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti has decided to head off interest from around Europe - including Manchester United, by agreeing the unusual deal which is know as an 'Opzione'.
Cragnotti is good friends with Parma president Calisto Tanzi and the two supremos have agreed to the deal which will see Cannavaro move to the Stadio Olimpico in 2001, as long as the player does not get injured in the intervening season.
The two clubs have just concluded the £37 million deal for Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo, which smashed the world record transfer fee, and should the Cannavaro move be completed, it would be the second biggest in footballing history.
The pair will meet again next week to complete the details of the transfer and if the deal is completed, as expected, then Lazio's spending for the summer will be approaching £100 million.
The Roman giants have already signed, Claudio Lopez from Valencia (£16.5 million), Angelo Peruzzi from Inter Milan (£10.1 million) and have also just completed the signing of Udinese duo Stefano Fiore and Guiliano Giannichedda for £27 million - but both have been immediately loaned back to the Friuli stadium outfit for next season.
Yet another deal expected to be finalised within the next week is the transfer of Barcelona winger Boudewijn Zenden.
The two clubs have reportedly agreed a fee of just over £8 million for the 23-year-old Dutch international, who is to sign a five-year-deal with the Italian champions.
Meanwhile, contrary to reports, Croatian international striker Alen Boksic has yet to sign for Galatasaray, but he is set to leave the Stadio Olimpico in the summer.
http://www.optasoccer.com
I just want to say, "wow, Grazie Cragnotti and Benvenuto Cannavaro."