Torino coach Ivan Juric is keen to sign Inter wingback Valentino Lazaro permanently at the end of the season.
This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews, who report that the Granata coach wants to keep hold of the 27-year-old Austrian international past the expiration of his loan deal, and that there is a purchase clause worth €6 million.
Even though Lazaro has been dealing with a major knee injury which has kept him sidelined over the second half of the season, prior to that setback there had been no question that he was seen as an important part of Torino’s starting eleven by Juric.
The 27-year-old joined the Granata on loan last summer, his third loan spell since joining Inter from Hertha Berlin in the summer of 2019.
Whilst none of Newcastle United, Borussia Monchengladbach, or Benfica ultimately decided to make loan deals for Lazaro permanent, there was a sense at least before his injury that Torino would jump at the chance.
According to Tuttosport, even with the injury that Lazaro has been recovering from, there is little doubt in Juric’s mind that he wants to keep hold of the player.
Particularly given the Austrian’s age, the coach feels that signing him on a permanent basis ahead of next season would be a good investment by the club.
Lazaro is well-suited to playing on the right flank in former Genoa and Hellas Verona coach Juric’s 3-4-3 formation, a significant factor in the Croatian tactician’s desire to have the player at his disposal past the end of this campaign.
The loan deal that saw Lazaro make the move to Turin last summer contains a purchase option worth €6 million should the Granata wish to make the deal permanent.
According to Tuttosport, Juric’s desire to keep the Austrian is likely to mean that the club exercise this option.
