Igli Tare is getting closer and closer to becoming AC Milan's sporting director, a role he held at Lazio for 15 years, helping to keep the Biancocelesti among the best teams in Italy. What is the Top 11 of the Albanian director’s signings?
Here is the 4-3-3 lineup, as relayed via Milan News:
Goalkeeper:
In goal, Federico Marchetti, signed in the summer of 2011 for €5.2 million. He played 194 matches over six seasons and was among the best goalkeepers in the league. He won one Coppa Italia and one Italian Super Cup.
Defenders:
At right-back, Adam Marušić, who arrived in the summer of 2017. He was bought from Belgian side Oostende for €5.5 million and is still a key player in the first team, showing versatility both as a wide midfielder under Inzaghi and as a full-back—on both the right and left—under Sarri and Baroni. Still at Lazio, he has 309 appearances and 15 goals, with one Coppa Italia and two Italian Super Cups to his name.
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At center-back, Stefan de Vrij and Francesco Acerbi. The Dutchman’s signing was a masterpiece, as he had just played an excellent 2014 World Cup with the Netherlands. Just €7 million to snatch him from Feyenoord, beating out the competition. His impact was significant: he stayed for 4 years with 118 appearances and 10 goals. He later moved to Inter on a free transfer. A few years later, Francesco Acerbi followed him, arriving in 2018 precisely to replace him at the heart of Lazio’s defense. The fee to get him from Sassuolo was €12 million—well spent, as he immediately became the leader of the defense.
At left-back, Senad Lulić. He arrived in 2011 from Young Boys for €3.25 million. He stayed for 10 years, collecting 371 appearances and 34 goals—one more important than all the others, which earned Lazio the 2013 Coppa Italia in the final against Roma. And with that, he earned eternal glory among Lazio fans.
Midfielders signed by Igli Tare:
On the right side of midfield, Sergej Milinković-Savić, one of the most dominant players in Serie A in recent years. Tare got him from Genk and snatched him away from Fiorentina when he was already at their headquarters ready to sign. €12 million spent in 2015, and sold eight years later for €40 million. In between, he brought plenty of joy to Lazio fans: 341 appearances and 69 goals.
In the holding midfield role: Lucas Leiva. Summer of 2017, Lazio had just sold Lucas Biglia to Milan for €25 million and reinvested a fifth of that into the Brazilian from Liverpool. An impressive impact and one of the best value-for-money deals ever. He was the backbone of Simone Inzaghi’s midfield, which in 2019/20 even competed for the title. He made 198 appearances and scored 4 goals for Lazio.
On the left side of midfield, Luis Alberto. Like Leiva, the "Magician" was also brought in from Liverpool. Tare signed him in the summer of 2016 for €7.6 million. He dazzled for eight years, and along with the Brazilian and Milinković, formed one of the strongest midfields in Italy—and beyond. He recorded 307 appearances and 52 goals.
What about the forwards?
At right wing, Felipe Anderson. A transfer market masterpiece: bought from Santos for €7.5 million, sold to West Ham for €38 million, then brought back from the English club for €3 million. Speed, flair, and physical reliability. The Brazilian is a real workhorse and dishes out great football: 326 appearances and 58 goals over 8 years split across two spells.
As the center forward, Ciro Immobile. No offense to Miro Klose, one of the greatest strikers in Lazio’s history and a free transfer at that. But we can’t leave out the man who broke the club’s goal-scoring record (207 goals in 340 games), scoring 48 more than the second-best, Silvio Piola. Tare believed in him during two tough spells at Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla and signed him from the Spanish side in the summer of 2016 for just €9.45 million.
At left wing, Mattia Zaccagni. One of the final signings of the Tare era, Lazio brought him in right at the end of the 2021 summer transfer window. He arrived on a paid loan from Verona and was later bought outright for just over €7 million. Today, he is Lazio’s captain and most creative player. So far: 32 goals in 157 appearances.
