Dele-Bashiru Lazio loan blocked as club rejects Premier League offers, keeping the Nigerian midfielder amid first-team injury concerns
Italian Serie A side Lazio has rejected loan offers from Bournemouth and other Premier League clubs for Nigerian international midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, insisting the 24-year-old remain as squad cover following injuries to first-team players.
Also read: Super Eagles thrash Mozambique 4–0 to reach AFCON 2025 quarters
Reports indicate Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, and Bournemouth had expressed interest in securing Dele-Bashiru’s services after his promising AFCON 2025 performance in Morocco.
Turkish club Trabzonspor also submitted inquiries, but negotiations failed to yield a deal.
According to Lazio Channel Italy, Bournemouth submitted a loan proposal with an option to purchase at the season’s end, but the offer was deemed insufficient by Lazio officials.
Football Italia reported that Lazio’s decision was influenced by Matias Vecino’s sanctioned move to Celta Vigo, leaving the club with limited midfield depth.
Another player, Reda Belahyane, was set to join Hellas Verona, but the departure of Vecino stalled the transfer to maintain squad balance.
As a result, Dele-Bashiru will have to wait until the summer transfer window to make a Premier League return, despite his clear preference to move back to England.
Since returning from AFCON 2025, the midfielder has featured for only 40 minutes across all Lazio competitions.
Also read: Sunderland eye Dele-Bashiru January move
Observers note that while the Nigerian remains keen to resume his career in the Premier League, Lazio’s immediate squad needs have temporarily blocked the move, prioritising team stability over individual transfer ambitions.
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