Fulham haven’t given up hope of acquiring the former AC Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli despite being initially rejected by the Italian international. The Whites are looking to capitalise on Lazio’s failure to agree terms with the experienced centre back, by offering the 27 year-old defender a four-year deal worth nearly £3.5m a year.

Romagnoli became a free agent yesterday, leaving Milan just weeks after lifting the Scudetto after six seasons at the San Siro. The ball-playing centre half made just nineteen league appearances under Stefano Pioli, following Fikayo Tomori’s outstanding acclimatisation to life in Serie A, and rejected the Rossoneri’s contract extension as it would have dramatically reduced his salary.

Romagnoli, a lifelong Lazio fan despite rising through the Roma youth set up, was keen on a move to I Biancocelesti but his boyhood side have failed to meet a deadline imposed by the centre back’s representatives to propose a suitable offer. Reports from Italy claim that Romagnoli is ‘tempted’ by the prospect of a move to the Premier League – but this would be an audacious acquisition from the Cottagers, with several leading European outfits monitoring his availability.