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Reports in Italy claimed Lazio had agreed a deal with Liverpool for Fabio Borini whereby they would pay a €1M loan fee for the player this season before adding €7M next summer to make the move permanent. They also claimed the striker was holding things up, determined to remain in England if at all possible.
Now, it appears as though Borini may not get the chance to change his mind. Though speculation had been Lazio would wait for a week before looking elsewhere, reports today in Italy’s Il Messaggero claim they have officially withdrawn their offer for Borini following negotiations with the player’s representatives.
Many Liverpool fans will be reminded of last summer, when Borini’s wage demands forced QPR to reconsider their bid—which had also been accepted by Liverpool. The suggestion afterwards was that Borini’s demands were meant to reflect the fact he saw QPR as an undesirable destination and not what he felt he was worth.
If it’s true Borini does not want to leave England this summer, it could be that the situation was similar this time around, and as a result his wage demands so high that Lazio didn’t want to bother sticking around. It’s a rather unorthodox approach by Borini and his agent, but so far one which has proven highly effective.
The suggestion, though, is that Borini does want a move away from Liverpool this summer and that if a transfer offer arrives from a club he wishes to move to, his demands would be far more reasonable. West Ham, who have been rumoured to be considering a bid, might reasonably be expected to fall in that category for Borini.
Unfortunately, turning down another firm offer and having that club move on does also raise the risk Borini could end up stuck on Liverpool’s bench for another season. Still, there is something oddly admirable about Borini’s stubborn determination to only move on from Liverpool on his own terms.
