£32.5m Chelsea target made Lazio transfer priority, playmaker headed for a summer exit

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC - OCTOBER 10: Hakan Calhanoglu (R) of Turkey shots for goal goal during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group A Qualifier match between Czech Republic and Turkey at Letna Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Photo by Matej Divizna/Getty Images)

Lazio join race for £32.5m Chelsea target who is headed for a summer exit

Lazio have become the latest club to join the race for Bayer Leverkusen star Hakan Calhanoglu.

Turkish newspaper Aksam report that Calhangolu has been made a transfer priority for the Serie A giants.

Per the source, Lazio’s offer could depend on whether Lucas Biglia is sold over the summer.

See More: How Chelsea’s 3-4-3 could lineup if £32.5 target Hakan Calhanoglu joins

The midfielder is expected to leave and if he does so the club reportedly plan to replace him with Calhanoglu.

The Italian outfit could however, face competition from Chelsea who have also expressed an interest in the playmaker a source close to the player revealed to Turkish-Football.

Calhanoglu’s agent Bektas Demirtas has remained coy on Chelsea interest and in his last statement on the matter he neither confirmed nor denied the link.

“It is said that Hakan is on the radar of Chelsea, what I will comment on is that Atletico Madrid tried to transfer Calhanoglu but the Bayer Leverkusen said no,” Demirtas was quoted as saying by Eurospor Italy.

“Now the situation has changed and Calhanoglu could soon say goodbye,” 

BILD Sport meanwhile have reported that Calhanoglu wants to leave Bayer at the end of the season.

The 23-year-old has a £32.5 million release clause option and does have another three-years remaining on his contract.