The Dele-Bashiru Lazio contract situation has moved up the agenda in Rome. Lazio have opened talks over a new deal for Super Eagles midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, with the Serie A leaders keen to reward the 25-year-old with improved terms and tie him down well beyond his current contract, which runs until June 2028.
According to a report in Daily Post Nigeria on Saturday, citing Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, the club have already opened discussions with the midfielder’s representatives over a potential extension. Lazio want the situation resolved before the January transfer window, in recognition of Dele-Bashiru’s growing importance to Gennaro Gattuso’s side.
It is a vote of confidence that has been coming. Italian reports first surfaced in mid-October that Lazio planned to step up talks in December, with Dele-Bashiru named alongside Nicolò Rovella and Gustav Isaksen as the three players the club want to secure on improved terms. All three are contracted until 2028, and all three are expected to receive a pay rise, with the aim of finalising agreements before the winter window.
Dele-Bashiru Lazio contract talks reward his Juventus moment
The timing is no accident. Dele-Bashiru produced the defining moment of Lazio’s season so far on 18 October, coming off the bench in the 69th minute at Juventus and sealing a 3-0 win with a stunning solo run and finish in the 89th minute. Gattuso was full of praise afterwards, hailing the mentality of his players after a victory that took Lazio level with Inter at the top of Serie A.
That goal was his first of the campaign, and it announced him as more than a squad option. Opta figures show Dele-Bashiru has made six Serie A appearances this season, totalling 203 minutes, with one goal and one assist. He last featured on 1 November, playing 35 minutes in the 2-1 win over Cagliari, having fought his way back from a hamstring problem that interrupted the start of his season.
The numbers tell only part of the story. Dele-Bashiru is a powerful, driving midfielder in the mould Gattuso loves — comfortable carrying the ball through midfield, strong in the duel and, as the Juventus goal showed, capable of producing something from nothing. He joined Lazio from Turkish side Hatayspor, initially on loan in 2024 before the move became permanent, and has grown steadily into a trusted part of the squad.
What a new deal means before Napoli and Tanzania
For Lazio, moving early on the Dele-Bashiru Lazio contract makes sense. Dele-Bashiru has previously been linked with Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Bournemouth, and his market value is estimated at around €6 million. With two years still left on his deal, the club are under no pressure to sell — but a new contract would end any uncertainty and reward a player who is becoming central to their plans.
The talks also come at a busy moment for the Nigerian. Dele-Bashiru has been recalled to the Super Eagles’ 24-man squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Tanzania, with Nigeria hosting the first leg in Uyo on Friday, 13 November before the return in Zanzibar four days later. He has 19 caps for his country and will hope his club form carries into the international window. For more on the squad, read Chelle’s 24-man Super Eagles list for Tanzania
Before that, there is today’s test. Lazio travel to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to face Napoli at 12:30 WAT on Sunday, with Dele-Bashiru named among the substitutes in the predicted line-ups as the league leaders look to extend their advantage. It is the kind of stage where he has already shown he can make a difference from the bench.
Nothing is agreed yet, and the outcome will depend on the discussions between the club and his representatives. But the message from Rome on the Dele-Bashiru Lazio contract is clear: Lazio see Dele-Bashiru as part of their future, and they are moving to prove it before January.
For more on the weekend’s big games, check today’s predictions. Elsewhere on Saturday, Noah Okafor struck 97 seconds after coming off the bench as Leeds beat Tottenham 1-0
Photos: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona — Gaetano Capaldo, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA); collage by SportsBuddy.
