Lazio confident of Diego Coppola deal after Brighton soften stance

Lazio are increasingly confident of signing Diego Coppola after Brighton & Hove Albion softened their position over the defender’s possible return to Italy.

The 22-year-old struggled for regular football during his first months in England and spent the second half of last season on loan at Paris FC. He is now due back at Brighton, but another move appears possible as Lazio reshape their defence.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Brighton are prepared to discuss a loan with an option to buy rather than insisting on an immediate permanent sale. That change has made a deal more accessible for Lazio, who hope to complete at least one defensive signing before their pre-season training camp begins on 13 July.

Coppola joined Brighton from Hellas Verona in June 2025 after spending five years with the Italian club, but his first season at the Amex did not develop as hoped.

Fabian Hürzeler used him for only 194 minutes across five Premier League appearances before the centre-back moved to Paris FC on loan in January.

Regular football in France helped change the picture. Coppola played 1,260 minutes in 14 matches and re-established himself after a difficult opening half of the season.

Paris FC had hoped to extend his stay, but no agreement was reached. Coppola will therefore return to Brighton with his long-term role still uncertain.

Lazio are now trying to take advantage.

Brighton initially valued the defender at around €12 million and have only reduced that figure slightly to €11.5m. The more important development is their willingness to consider a temporary transfer without an obligation to buy.

For Lazio, that structure could be decisive.

Gennaro Gattuso’s squad is facing significant change at centre-back.

Alessio Romagnoli has confirmed he will leave, while Mario Gila is also close to an exit. Lazio had initially planned to sign either Coppola or Dinamo Zagreb defender Sergi Domínguez as a replacement.

That approach has now changed.

The Italian club are seriously considering signing both players, even though each is naturally right-footed. Domínguez’s ability to operate on the left side of central defence gives Lazio greater flexibility and makes a double deal more realistic from a squad-building perspective.

The main obstacle is financial.

Brighton’s original €12m valuation for Coppola and Dinamo Zagreb’s €10m asking price for Domínguez made signing both almost impossible. The conditions have since become more favourable.

Domínguez’s price has reportedly dropped to between €7m and €8m, while Brighton’s willingness to loan Coppola means Lazio would not need to fund two permanent transfers immediately.

That allows the Serie A club to preserve part of their summer budget for other areas of the squad.

The difference between €12m and €11.5m is unlikely to transform negotiations on its own.

The loan formula is the real breakthrough.

Lazio could bring Coppola back to Italy, assess him over a full season and then decide whether to activate a purchase option. Brighton, meanwhile, would give a young defender regular football without committing to a permanent sale at a reduced price.

For Coppola, the attraction is equally clear. His limited opportunities under Hürzeler pushed him towards Paris in January, and another season without regular minutes would risk slowing the progress he regained in France.

A return to Serie A would also place him back in familiar surroundings after his development at Hellas Verona.

However, the deal is not complete. Lazio are still working on both defensive targets, and Gazzetta does not report that a final agreement has been reached with Brighton.

The change in Brighton’s position has simply created a much clearer route to one.

Lazio will continue working on the Coppola and Domínguez deals in parallel, with the new financial conditions giving them greater confidence that both transfers could be completed.

The immediate target is to secure at least one defender before the squad reports for pre-season on 13 July. Brighton’s willingness to accept a loan means Coppola now appears far more attainable, although the clubs still need to finalise the structure and terms of any agreement.

Would a loan move to Lazio be the right next step for Diego Coppola after his difficult first season at Brighton?