Italian Club Lazio Interested in Israeli Player Liel Abada, Salary a Hurdle

Italian Serie A club Lazio is reportedly interested in signing Liel Abada, a player for the Israel national team currently playing for Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer (MLS). Abada, 25, previously had two successful seasons with Celtic in Scotland before facing backlash from fans after the October 7th events. The primary obstacle to a potential transfer is his current salary in the U.S., reported to be around $2.5 million per season, which Lazio may find difficult to meet. Abada is considered one of two final candidates for the position, alongside Diego Luna, a 23-year-old American winger from Real Salt Lake. Both players' contracts are set to expire at the end of the calendar year, making them eligible to sign with new clubs without transfer fees. However, Abada would likely need to accept a lower salary to finalize a deal with Lazio.

Since the World Cup break, Abada has been in strong form, scoring 6 goals and providing 7 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions this season. During his full seasons at Celtic, he scored 28 goals and assisted 20 more, winning two domestic doubles. Abada also represented Israel in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Lazio has started the Italian league season well, with four wins and a draw in their first five matches, accumulating 13 points and sitting third in the table, level with the top two teams. The team's offensive struggles are evident, having scored only 8 goals in 5 games.