Lazio's legal chief Gianmichele Gentile has declared River Plate goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carizzo is their player.

"I can state with certainty that Carrizo is a Lazio player and that he will arrive at the end of the month as an EU player, rather than in June as a foreigner," Gentile declared.

"I'm optimistic, but we will have to wait until January 15 for the definite reply. There are only very small problems to be ironed out to do with the city of origin of his great grandfather."