Lazio

Official: Lazio Sign Matuzalem

Lazio have continued their impressive summer work in the transfer market by signing Real Zaragoza midfielder Matuzalem on loan for a season.

Jul 18, 2008 7:28:29 PM

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Matuzalem - Zaragoza

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Matuzalem only joined Zaragoza from Shakhtar Donetsk last year, however he has been almost certain to leave them this summer following their shock relegation from La Liga.

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move to Roma in recent days, but instead he has signed for city rivals Lazio on a one-year loan deal.

"Real Zaragoza have reached an agreement for the season-long loan to Lazio of the player Francelino Matuzalem,” a statement on the Spanish club’s website reads.

“The player will be in Rome today to sign an agreement with the Italian club."

Matuzalem has already played in Italy from 1999 to 2004, wearing the shirts of Napoli, Parma, Piacenza and Brescia before leaving for the Ukraine to play for Shakhtar Donetsk.

Now, the Brazilian will form an all South American pair at the heart of the midfield with the Argentine Cristian Ledesma. He is the latest in a long line of players to join Lazio this summer, following Juan Pablo Carrizo, Sergio Zarate, Pasquale Foggia, Stephan Lichtsteiner, and Guglielmo Stendardo, who returned from his loan spell at Juventus.

Anthony Sormani