Italian clubs join Dele-Bashiru race, Lazio yet to seal deal

Super Eagles midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is yet to undergo medicals at Italian Serie A side, Lazio, contrary to multiple reports that the player is nearing a €7m switch from Turkish side Hatayaspor, According Sports Extra reports.

The 23-year-old has been a subject of transfer speculations since the end of the just-concluded 2023/24 season with more reports emanating from Italy about a medical and talks between the player’s agent to finalise the deal.

However, a close source to the player told According Sports Extra that the stories about the midfielder nearing a switch to the Italian giants were untrue.

“They have not agreed,” our source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she wasn’t authorised to speak on the transfer, told According Sports Extra.

When According Sports Extra asked Dele-Bashiru if he was eyeing a move to any of the European leagues ahead of next season, he replied, “Hopefully, if it is possible then of course. Now, I think my next step is to try and get into the top five leagues in Europe.”

According Sports Extra understands that Dele-Bashiru wants to join a club that will play in Europe next season and while Lazio, who placed seventh in Serie A last term, will compete in the Europa Conference League next season, other clubs are also bidding for the services of the creative midfielder.

Our source hinted that other Italian clubs were also in the race for the Nigerian.

“They are talking with the agent just as two other Italian clubs are also doing at the moment. What is important is that it has to be a team in any of the UEFA competitions. More importantly, the terms must be right. He hasn’t done any medical with them even though there have been talks between them and his agent.”

Before resuming international duty with Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where he scored a stunning goal in the 1-1 draw against South Africa, the Hatayaspor midfielder revealed that his agent would focus on the transfers after Nigeria’s matches.

Dele-Bashiru, the latest man to wear the Nigeria No.10 jersey made an immediate impact in his first two games for Nigeria, providing an assist and winning a penalty against Mozambique in an international friendly on October 16, 2023, and then scoring a stunning equaliser against South Africa in the 2026 World Cup  qualifiers on his competitive debut earlier this month.

He was, however, injured during the game and couldn’t feature in the second game of the window, a 2-1 defeat against Benin Republic in Ivory Coast.

Last season, he scored eight league goals plus five assists for Hatayspor, helping them escape relegation from the Turkish topflight. He also scored a goal plus one assist in three Turkish Cup games.

Dele-Bashiru came through the youth ranks at Manchester City and featured for the U-23 before leaving in 2020 to join Sheffield Wednesday.

During his time at City, manager Pep Guardiola was said to have been impressed by Dele-Bashiru’s work rate and attitude after he first joined up with senior team training in March 2019.