GdS: Tare wants to bet on Gila again – the competition and Lazio’s asking price

Igli Tare has already pulled off the signing of Mario Gila once, and he would like to repeat the coup this summer.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport recall, Gila has been the protégé of Milan’s sporting director for years. It was he who brought him to Italy at a very young age (he would turn 22 a few days later), and it was he who believed in the Spaniard’s talent when he was only a bench player for nearly 18 months under Maurizio Sarri.

Inter are also interested in the Biancocelesti defender, determined to sign him as a potential replacement for Alessandro Bastoni, who is being courted by Barcelona. This too is a curiosity, because Tare in 2024 said about Gila: “For me, along with Inter’s Bastoni, he is the most promising defender in Italy.”

Real beginnings to present

Born in Barcelona in August 2000, he joined Real Madrid at 17, after playing for several Catalan clubs. His coach in the Los Blancos youth academy was club legend Raul, who made him vice-captain. In 2021-22, Carlo Ancelotti launched him, playing two league games (which also made him champion of Spain).

That summer, he moved to Lazio for €6m plus 50% of the future transfer fee. Tare was the first to see his potential, yet upon arriving in Rome, Gila remained on the bench for a long time. The Spaniard was also a source of considerable tension between Tare and Sarri, as the former wanted him to play.

In his first year in Rome, Gila played just 87 minutes in the league. He never complained, but it affected him, so much so that he sought counseling. He realised he had to work on himself, insist, convince others to trust him, without expecting it to be automatically received.

He chose the Biancocelesti over some Spanish clubs because he was convinced he could play consistently. Now, he earns one of the lowest salaries in the squad (around €500,000 per year), his contract expires in 2027 and he has no intention of renewing it.

The club have never reached out to him, likely because they know they’ve missed their chance. Now, it’s unlikely Lazio will be able to offer him a salary comparable to what Inter and Milan would offer, and it is easy to see why they are keen.

Gila has physical and technical qualities, he’s quick, he reads the game well, he’s good at running with the ball and building out from the back, he can play both at centre-back and right-back and is good at tackling. There isn’t a lot of downside, therefore.

Cashing in and generating capital gains is very important to Lazio. To sell Mario, they hope to collect at least €25-30m, which isn’t a small sum considering his contract is expiring in 2027. However, the capital club would only get 50%, having to pay the other half to Real Madrid.

For the buyer, however, the price obviously can’t be too high, or it wouldn’t be a deal. This is despite the fact that Gila has already proven he can be a winning bet.

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