Diogo Leite Unveiled by Lazio as Fabiani Values Squad at Around €400 Million

Lazio’s new signing Diogo Leite was officially presented today, with sporting director Angelo Fabiani also taking the opportunity to discuss the state of the squad following the closure of the transfer window. Leite said:
“I am ready for the competition here, and the coach will make his choices. I need to be ready at all times. I feel good and I believe I will adapt quickly. I don’t like talking about myself, but I can guarantee that I will give everything for this shirt and help the team achieve its goals.”

Asked why he remained a free agent until September, Leite explained:
“I understand the curiosity, but I don’t want to talk about the past. What matters to me is Lazio’s present and future. I have always been patient, and in the end I got the opportunity to join Lazio. Now I want to repay the club through my performances on the pitch.”

Lazio sporting director Angelo Fabiani was also asked whether signing Leite would affect the club’s overall wage bill.
“Will signing Diogo Leite have an impact on the overall wage costs? Yes, every signing has an impact on this figure. But I want to reassure everyone that, as we have always done, we are capable of completing our transfer operations.
“We have always worked to increase the value of Lazio’s players. If I say today that Lazio’s squad is worth around €400 million, it is not an empty statement. The official figures will be published later, but according to my assessment, we have done an excellent job.“We are not signing players simply for the sake of making signings. Being able to bring in free agents and players who were not considered part of other clubs’ technical plans requires both ability and smart management, and that makes us very happy.”

Fabiani added:
“We have increased the value of the squad, and we can continue operating in the transfer market through player sales, bringing in players with the same level of quality. That is what we did in January with Castellanos and Guendouzi, and with Mario Gila, whose contract was also due to expire this summer.“I can say that the squad has been strengthened. Of course, the pitch will have the final say. But it is still too early to draw conclusions. Winning two matches can mean a lot, but it can also mean nothing.“We must not allow praise to distract us. Football is ruthless, and we have to continue along this path. Hopefully, we can achieve our minimum objective of bringing Lazio back to European competition.”

Lazio president Claudio Lotito also spoke to Il Fatto Quotidiano about the team’s strong start to the season, its excellent form and the ongoing protests against him.
“For me, the facts speak for themselves. People outside Rome like me.”

Lotito described the situation surrounding him as “completely illogical” and rejected the idea that Lazio supporters cannot have greater ambitions under his presidency.
“We are currently top of the table. Isn’t that enough? Is buying players alone not enough? We also need a team with determination and fighting spirit. We are building the youth academy, and we want to build a stadium. Isn’t all of that enough?”

According to the Lazio president, the protests now have one central demand:
“Their only slogan is: ‘Lotito must step down.’”

Lotito also denied that his opponents had ever approached him or changed their position, insisting that he would continue to act solely in the interests of the club.
The controversy has also been accompanied by political interpretations and tensions within the centre-right, but Lotito dismissed these as “conspiracy theories created by others.”
In his view, there is a clear difference between Rome and the rest of Italy:
“If a person leaves Rome, the situation is different.”

When asked whether Lazio’s position at the top of the league had made him dream of winning the Serie A title, Lotito offered little comment:
“Thank you, thank you, goodbye.”