Calcio mercato: Lazio tie Ledesma up for five years

Finally Cristian Ledesma has put pen to paper and signed a deal with Lazio that will tie him to the club for the next five years. Feuds with club President Claudio Lotito seem to have been put to one side as the deal has now been concluded to the benefit of both parties. Ledesma spent most of last season frozen out of the Lazio squad along with Goran Pandev as Lotito took a hard stance on the both of them regarding contractual issues. However, his return to the starting eleven, on Edy Reja's debut with the club, sparked an improvement in performance and results for the Rome based side and his contract renewal will be music to many Lazio fans ears as with Hernanes occupying the attacking midfield role Ledesma will provide the balance in the form of the regista that was missing for much of last season.

Additionally it seems as if Lazio are close to securing the loan of Roque Santa Cruz from Manchester City to complement an already potent forward line of Sergio Floccari, Tommaso Rocchi and Mauro Zarate.