Official: Lazio sign Croatia international Sutalo from Ajax
Quick summary
Lazio have officially completed the signing of Croatian centre-back Josip Sutalo from Ajax.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceLazio have officially announced their signing of Croatia international defender Josip Sutalo from Ajax on a season-long loan with an option to buy.
Official: Lazio announce Sutalo from Ajax “Lazio announced that it has acquired the sporting rights for the player Josip Sutalo on a temporary basis from Ajax with an option for a permanent signing,” the club confirmed in a short statement .
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – SEPTEMBER 17: Josip Sutalo of Ajax in action during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between AFC Ajax and FC Internazionale Milano at Johan Cruijff Arena on September 17, 2025 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) Reports in Italy claim that Lazio have agreed to pay Ajax a fee of €3m to sign Sutalo on loan for the 2026-27 season and that they will have an option to make the move permanent for an additional €7.5m at a later date.
Sutalo has spent the last three seasons at Ajax having joined in a €20.5m transfer from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2023 and has since gone on to make 76 appearances in the Eredivisie and 108 across all competitions. He was named in the Eredivisie team of the season in 2024-25.
The 26-year-old centre-back also has 37 international caps to his name with Croatia.
TORONTO, ONTARIO – JUNE 23: Josip Sutalo #6 of Croatia looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between Panama and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on June 23, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) He becomes the club’s fourth new first-team signing of the summer transfer window following previous deals for Davide Frattesi, Danilho Doekhi and Alfonso Pedraza.
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What happened
Serie A side Lazio have confirmed the signing of Croatia international Josip Sutalo from Eredivisie club Ajax. The 25-year-old centre-back arrives as a defensive reinforcement for the Rome-based club. Sutalo had been a key figure at Ajax and is expected to bolster Lazio's back line as they compete domestically and in Europe.
Chance analysis
Sutalo's arrival gives Lazio a ball-playing, physically imposing centre-back with top-level Eredivisie and Champions League experience. Croatia's recent run to the latter stages of major tournaments has raised the profile of their defensive corps, and Sutalo stepping into Serie A is a continuation of that pipeline. For Lazio, the move addresses a persistent need for depth and quality at the heart of defence, and the fact that it is an official signing rather than a rumour makes it immediately relevant to their squad planning.
Lazio's defensive options are strengthened with the addition of a proven international centre-back, while Ajax lose a starting defender from their squad.