Lazio have emerged victorious in a lengthy and competitive pursuit of Cesare Casadei from Chelsea, bringing the talented midfielder back to Italian football. The 22-year-old, who has struggled to find playing time in the Premier League, will join Marco Baroni’s team after an intricate negotiation process.
Calciomercato report that the breakthrough came with Lazio’s latest offer, which includes a transfer fee between 10 and 13 million euros, along with a 25-30% sell-on clause. This package ultimately convinced Chelsea to part with the player, despite competing interest from Torino and other clubs.
Casadei’s journey has been marked by promise and potential. Originally from Inter Milan’s youth system, where he won a Primavera championship in 2022, he was transferred to Chelsea for €15 million but has barely featured in their first team. This season, he has only played 334 minutes in Conference League and a single Carabao Cup appearance, with zero minutes in Premier League.
The transfer is not yet fully complete, as Lazio must first resolve a financial hurdle related to their league-mandated liquidity index. The club is exploring potential player sales, with Toma Basic and Gaetano Castrovilli being potential candidates to create the necessary financial space.
For Casadei, this move represents an opportunity to revive his career and return to regular first-team football in Serie A, where he will hope to fulfill the significant potential that initially attracted Chelsea’s interest.
