Lazio striker Ciro Immobile has signed a new contract with the club that will run until 2025, ending speculation that he could move away to the club this summer.
Having scored a record-equalling 36 goals in Serie A last term – a tally that allowed him to finish the campaign ahead of Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski as Europe’s Golden Shoe winner - there had been reports that other clubs could be ready to try to broker a deal this summer.
Immobile himself has confirmed there was interest from Premier League club Newcastle United, before their proposed Saudi Arabian-backed takeover collapsed.
The 30-year-old, however, has been insistent that he would stay with Lazio and has made that commitment concrete by penning an extension that will run until he is 35.
Reports suggest that the Stadio Olimpico club will pay him in the region of €4 million (£3.6m/$4.8m) a season to retain his services in what looks set to be a deal that keeps the Italy international at Lazio for the remainder of his career.
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Having joined the Roman side in 2016, he is delighted to have fired them back into the Champions League for the first time since 2007.
“It’s a new season with the Champions League and aiming to confirm our status in Serie A. We’re satisfied with the last four years under Simone Inzaghi, and although the lockdown did destabilise the squad, we got back on track pretty quickly,” he told Sky Sport Italia on Monday.
“We haven’t changed much over the summer, as it has been a constant growth over the past few years for players, coach and club.
“Now we’ve got the Champions League and I know how tense one can get in the build-up to those big games. It’s going to be tough to handle three tournaments, but we are enthusiastic and don’t want to just be making a cameo in the Champions League. We’re there to have fun.”
Lazio finished fourth in the standings last term but were only five points shy of eventual champions Juventus, four off runners-up Inter and behind Atalanta courtesy of their inferior goal difference.
They have made a handful of moves to bolster their squad in the summer, notably adding goalkeeper Pepe Reina and midfielder Gonzalo Escalante to their ranks as they seek to confirm their top-four status in Italy.