Gattuso Reveals Why Lazio Turned Down Chance to Sign Free Agent Mauro Icardi

Lazio boss Gennaro Gattuso has cleared up why the club decided not to sign free agent Mauro Icardi, even though talks did take place between the striker's camp and the Biancocelesti. Icardi has been without a club since leaving Galatasaray in the summer, but Gattuso says Lazio chose to stick with the attackers they already have.

Talks between Icardi and Lazio picked back up last week, according to Sky Sport Italia, after the 33-year-old turned down a new deal at Galatasaray back in July. Even with the striker available on a free, Gattuso and the club's hierarchy decided against pushing the move through.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Gattuso put the rumours to rest.

"Let's put this whole Icardi mess to rest. He has scored 250 goals in his career, and nobody questions his value. We made our choices; we signed Pinamonti and Gudmundsson, and when you give your word to players, you can't go back on it. With all due respect to Icardi, I've discussed it with the president and the director, and it's right to stick to what we have," he said, via Calciomercato.com.

Gattuso also pointed out that his squad is already stacked in some areas, and adding another striker would only cause more headaches.

"Right now, we already have players who have to sit out training because we have six full-backs. When Marusic returns, two of them will have to be left out, and that doesn't look good," he added.

Mauro Icardi

The decision comes despite Icardi's strong pedigree. He left Galatasaray as the club's highest-scoring foreign player ever, winning four Super Lig titles along the way, and he's scored 121 goals in Serie A during his career. But for Gattuso, keeping the squad settled mattered more than bringing in a big name who might upset the balance.

Lazio have made a solid start to the season, picking up three wins and a draw from their first four matches. They'll be looking to keep that run going when they travel to face a struggling Venezia side at the Stadio Penzo on Saturday, with three points away from home key to staying near the top of the Serie A table.