LAZIO have confirmed Maurizio Sarri will be their new manager with a hilarious cigarette tweet.
The 62-year-old will take charge of the Serie A giants and they poked fun at the ex-Chelsea boss’ chain smoking habit on Twitter.
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The Rome based side were said to be in advanced talks with the Italian last week.
And they have all-but confirmed he will take the reins.
Lazio simply tweeted the cigarette emoji.
And then they added: “Anyone got a light?”
Sarri has reportedly been offered a two-year deal worth around £2.5million-a-season.
The ex-Napoli manager has been jobless since Juventus sacked him last August following 14 months in charge.
Juve’s Champions League last-16 exit to Lyon proved costly for the wily old Italian.
Lazio were reportedly unwilling to increase their basic salary offer to Sarri.
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But there are potential add-ons – depending on qualification for Europe and winning Serie A.
Lazio – who will compete in the Europa League alongside West Ham and Leicester next season – were said to be monitoring other options, including meeting with former Porto coach Vitor Pereira.
Reports in Italy also say Sarri was interesting Tottenham and Turkish clubs but preferred to stay in his home country.
Earlier this week it emerged Sarri is planning to raid his old side Chelsea and wants to bring Marcos Alonso and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Lazio.
Both players were regulars during the Italian’s single season at Stamford Bridge but have not been guaranteed a starting spot since.
A bad heel injury ended Loftus-Cheek’s 2018-19 campaign before the Europa League final win over Arsenal, after a career-high 40 appearances during the season.
Alonso played 39 times but was subsequently outcast by Frank Lampard, only to be brought back in having suited Thomas Tuchel’s 3-4-2-1 system.
According to Calciomercato, the full-back position is the first priority for Sarri at Lazio.
The coach is said to see Alonso, 30, as a top target but the financial aspects of the deal have not yet been revealed.
A bid for Loftus-Cheek would initially be on a loan basis, as reported by Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
But, like Fikayo Tomori’s switch to AC Milan, Lazio reportedly want to agree an option to buy the midfielder permanently at the end of next season.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
