​AC Milan is reportedly closing in on overtaking Napoli in the race to sign Lazio wantaway Mario Gila, who appears increasingly certain to leave the Rome club this summer. The 25-year-old, whose contract expires next year, is drawing interest from several suitors after four years with Lazio. Napoli already had an agreement in principle with Gila for five years at around €3 million net per season, but their offers have fallen well short of Lazio president Claudio Lotito’s €25 million asking price, causing delays that other clubs are ready to exploit.
Atalanta entered the bidding last week, with Maurizio Sarri keen on reuniting with his former Lazio pupil in Bergamo, and Milan have also emerged as potential players in the pursuit, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The Rossoneri have reportedly opened direct talks with Gila’s agent, Alejandro Camano, a step that could be followed by an official Lazio bid. In recent months, Milan had been linked to the Real Madrid defender, but those links cooled after Massimiliano Allegri and former sporting director Igli Tare were dismissed at the end of the season. The renewed interest is thought to be driven by the Tuscan head coach’s arrival, which prompted Napoli to intensify their push for Gila.
Gila himself appears eager to leave Lazio in search of a new challenge at a more ambitious club than the one run by Lotito. With Milan ramping up their contact network after replacing the Livorno-born defender with Ruben Amorim, the door remains open for a concrete pursuit of Gila if the right terms can be agreed.