Igor Protti’s family has announced the death of the former Italian striker at the age of 58 and, in accordance with his wishes, shared his final message: ‘This wonderful journey, like every match, has reached the final whistle.’

Former Italian striker Protti died last night, aged 58.

Ex-Italian striker Protti dies at 58

His family confirmed the news in a statement published on his official Instagram page: “With immense sorrow, the family announces that Igor passed away during the night,” the statement reads.

In accordance with Protti’s wishes, the family also published a farewell message from the ex-striker: “This wonderful journey, like every match, has reached the final whistle. It is difficult to find words that can explain it, the only thing I can do is thank my great and wonderful family, whom I have loved dearly.

“I also want to thank all the people who cared for me and stood by my side, and all the supporters of the teams I played for, for the affection and love they always showed me, which I wholeheartedly returned. Hoping this is a see you again rather than a farewell.”

Protti revealed in July 2025 that he had been diagnosed with cancer, which, by September, had spread to his vertebrae. At the end of last month, he walked his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.

A former striker for Livorno, Messina, Bari, Napoli and Lazio, among others, Protti was, along with Dario Hubner, the only player to become the Capocannoniere in each of the top-three Italian leagues: Serie A, Serie B and Serie C.

To date, he’s also the only player to finish as the Serie A leading scorer while playing for a team that was relegated in the same season (Bari).

During his playing career, Protti scored 48 goals in 144 Serie A matches.

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The agent of Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel has confirmed that his client is closing in on a move to join Inter during the summer transfer window: ‘We’re very close, he’s always been an Inter fan’. 

Inter ‘very close’ to finalising low-cost Provedel deal

According to reports from various sources in Italy, the Nerazzurri are down to the final details of a deal to sign Provedel from Lazio and are hoping to exchange documents with the Biancocelesti within the next few days. 

According to the latest updates from Gianluca Di Marzio, Provedel has agreed to a three-year contract, which would see him through until the age of 35, with wages reported to be worth around €1.5m per season. 

The two clubs reportedly have a verbal agreement over a fee of just €3m for Provedel, who will otherwise be heading into the final year of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico. 

“We’re very close, we’ve been working in the right direction,” said Provedel’s agent Gianni Rava. “I hope that we’ll soon be able to close this transfer. Let’s hope for the best.” 

Rava later added: “Provedel has always been an Inter fan and I think it would be the closing of a full circle for him in terms of his career. He’s a great player and will come here to put his cards on the table, we’ll see. We’re confident.” 

Inter are bringing in Provedel to replace the departing Yann Sommer, who has served as the club’s no.1 for the last three seasons. The 37-year-old is leaving the club upon the expiry of his contract at the end of June. 

The Nerazzurri had been linked with a series of more expensive first-choice options, such as Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario, but have since decided to promote their recent understudy Josep Martinez and bring in an experienced, Serie A-proven back-up option in Provedel instead.

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay takes place in Miami this evening, with two sides who will be eager to pick up the three points, given the shocking draw earlier today between tournament favourites Spain and debutants Cape Verde.

Either side can move top of Group H today with a win.

Saudi Arabia only have one Serie A connections in their team, with right-back Saud Abdulhamid, formerly of Roma, in the lineup.

Uruguay, meanwhile, have more connections than their opposition.

Defender Mathías Olivera currently plays for Napoli, whilst Rodrigo Bentancur, Matias Vina and Fernando Muslera also spent time in Italy’s top flight.

World Cup 2026 – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Lineups

Saudi Arabia: Alowais; Alamri, Altambakti, Alharbi, Abu Alshamat, Abdulhamid; Ajuwayr, Alkhaibari, Kanno; Albrikan, Al Dawsari

Uruguay: Fernando Muslera; Caceres, Valera, Olivera, Vina; Ugarte, Bentancur, Valverde, Araujo; Nunez, Vinas

Bournemouth face a deadline today to decide whether to trigger their €17 million purchase option on Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas, with the Greek international’s future set to be resolved imminently in a decision that carries significant financial implications for the Roman club.

According to Il Tempo, via Radiosei, confirmation of the purchase would represent a major step towards Lazio meeting their economic targets for the summer, potentially sparing them from more painful player sales elsewhere in the squad.

Provedel’s expected Inter exit could convince Lazio to hold firm on Mandas valuation

The decision is complicated by circumstances at both clubs.

Bournemouth, despite their Europa League qualification under Marco Rose, saw Mandas fail to make a single Premier League appearance last season due to the outstanding form of Djordje Petrovic.

The English side are understood to be hoping to negotiate a reduced fee rather than pay the full option price.

For Lazio, however, selling Mandas becomes less attractive if Ivan Provedel departs, with Inter expected to complete a move for the Italian.

Should Provedel leave, Mandas would have a genuine opportunity to fight for the number one shirt at the Olimpico, giving Lazio every reason to drive a hard bargain.

Spain open their World Cup Group H campaign against Cape Verde in Atlanta, with former Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz lining up in midfield for the reigning European champions.

For Cape Verde, former Lazio and Salernitana winger Jovane Cabral starts, giving the Blue Sharks a familiar face for Serie A followers as they look to cause an upset against one of the tournament favourites.

Hellas Verona forward Dailon Livramento starts, after spending the last season on loan with Casa Pia in Portugal.

Spain vs Cape Verde – 2026 World Cup Official Lineups

Spain: Simon; Llorente, Laporte, Cubarsi, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz, Gavi, Pedri; Torres, Oyarzabal
Cape Verde: Vozinha; Borges, Lopes, Cabral, Moreira; Pina, Monteiro, Duarte; Cabral, Livramento, Mendes

Maurizio Sarri has been officially appointed as Atalanta head coach, bringing one of Italian football’s most distinctive tactical minds to Bergamo as the club prepare for their first Conference League campaign.

The club welcomed the Italian with a statement published on their official website.

The 67-year-old arrives with a storied CV: over 800 professional matches managed, a UEFA Europa League title with Chelsea, a Serie A Scudetto with Juventus and three consecutive seasons of breaking Napoli’s points record under his belt.

Most recently he led Lazio to the Coppa Italia final, having previously guided the Biancocelesti to the Champions League Round of 16 in 2023/24, described in the statement as the second-best European result in the Roman club’s history.

Sarri reunites with Giuntoli at Atalanta after transformative Napoli partnership

The appointment also represents a reunion with sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, with whom Sarri worked closely during his transformative years at Napoli between 2015 and 2018.

That partnership produced some of the most thrilling football Italian football has seen in the modern era, and Atalanta will be hoping lightning strikes twice.

Born in Naples but raised in Tuscany, with a childhood spell in the Bergamo area, Sarri’s connection to the region adds a personal dimension to one of the most intriguing coaching appointments of the summer.

The Netherlands face Japan with a strong Serie A contingent in their starting eleven for their World Cup opener.

Roma striker Donyell Malen leads the line, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries, whose Real Madrid move is imminent, starts at right back, and former Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders lines up in the middle of the park.

Juventus’ Teun Koopmeiners, Atalanta’s Marten De Roon and Napoli’s Noa Lang, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Galatasaray, are all among the substitutes.

For Japan, Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki starts in goal, while former Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada lines up in the centre of midfield.

Ex-Inter full-back Yuto Nagatomo is named among the substitutes at 39 years old, alongside former Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Netherlands vs Japan – World Cup 2026 Lineups

Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; De Jong, Gravenberch; Summerville, Reijnders, Gakpo; Malen.

Japan: Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, H.Ito; Doan, Kamada, Sano, Nakamura; Maeda, Kubo; Ueda.

Miroslav Klose has admitted he expects his all-time World Cup goalscoring record to fall during the 2026 tournament, with both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe well placed to surpass his mark of 16 goals set in 2014, and the former Lazio striker says he would be delighted if it is Messi who does it.

The German, who now coaches Nurnberg, broke Ronaldo Nazario’s previous record during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Speaking to German outlet Süddeutsche Zeitung, Klose explained why he believes this tournament is particularly likely to produce a new record holder.

“I expect my record to be broken at this World Cup,” he said. “This is an expanded edition, there are more matches and therefore more opportunities to score. Both Messi and Mbappe will go far, and that is absolutely fine, the record was always going to be broken eventually.”

Klose recalls showing Argentina coach Scaloni around Rome during Lazio playing days

On who he would prefer to see take the record, Klose’s answer reflected a long-standing admiration.

“If it happens, I would be pleased if it were Messi,” he said. “I have always been a huge fan of his, he is a genius.”

Klose also revealed a personal connection to current Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, with whom he played at Lazio.

“I also have great respect for the coach of Argentina,” he said. “Back in our Lazio days I showed him around the city, took him to see everything. We are good friends.”

Claudio Lotito has emphatically rejected suggestions that Lazio are up for sale, intercepted in the corridors of the Italian Senate to reinforce an official club statement released earlier in the day that categorically denied any ongoing negotiations over a potential takeover.

The Lazio president was characteristically unrepentant, dismissing the growing supporter revolt and the Curva Nord’s announced boycott of season tickets and home matches with a defiant shrug.

“Fear? No,” Lotito said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb. “Because I do not do things in material terms. For me Lazio is an emotion and I want to build emotions. They do not want to come to the stadium? It is legitimate. I work with responsibility, without material interests.”

Lotito dismisses Lazio fan accusations and claims his football legacy is unmatched in Italian history

On the criticism that he has robbed supporters of the right to dream, Lotito was equally forthright.

“I also want to dream, but I want to dream for the future, not only the present,” he said.

“I wrote an open letter to report things as they are, without exaggerating what I have done. What I have done for football has never been done before in history. I took Salernitana from the Eccellenza and brought them to Serie A.”

On his open letter to Il Messaggero, Lotito said: “I sleep three hours a night. I wrote this letter at night and sent it, then I did not sit and watch the reactions.”

Rumoured interest in Reggina was also swiftly dismissed: “Those are just talk.”

Reports in Italy claim that Inter have the basis of an agreement on personal terms in place with Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, and now the Nerazzurri must arrange a fee with the Biancocelesti. 

Report Inter have agreement on personal terms with Provedel

It is no secret that Inter are looking to add a new goalkeeper to their ranks with 37-year-old Yann Sommer leaving the club at the end of his contract later this month. 

There had been reports that the Nerazzurri would look to bring in a new no.1 during the summer transfer window, with strong links to Tottenham and Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. 

However, a much cheaper option for Inter is to promote their recent understudy Josep Martinez instead and then look to bring in a new no.2 on the transfer market. 

This is why Lazio’s 32-year-old Provedel is an enticing option as he will be entering the final year of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico this summer and is considered a relatively cheap option despite having plenty of Serie A experience and being a former winner of the league’s goalkeeper of the year award. 

Provedel’s agent was spotted at Inter’s headquarters on Wednesday, and now, according to reports from Alfredo Pedullà, the Nerazzurri have an agreement in principle on personal terms. 

Pedullà reports that Inter and Provedel’s agent have agreed to a three-year contract with wages reported to be less than €1.5m per season. 

Inter now need to arrange a fee with Lazio, who will reportedly request a sum of around €5m for the stopper.

Footage has emerged online of Gianni Rava, the agent of Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, arriving for talks at Inter’s headquarters as the Nerazzurri look to strike a deal for the 32-year-old to support Josep Martinez for next season. 

Inter are expected to sign a new goalkeeper during the summer transfer window, as Yann Sommer, 37, who has held the club’s no.1 status for the last three seasons, will be leaving at the end of his contract later this month.

For several months of the 2024-25 season, there had been reports that Inter would look to bring in a new first-choice goalkeeper; Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario strongly linked with a move to San Siro. 

However, more recent updates indicate that Inter will look to promote Josep Martinez, who has served as an understudy to Sommer for the last two seasons, instead of bringing in a new and potentially expensive no.1. 

Lazio’s Provedel has emerged as a solid option for the Nerazzurri this summer. The 32-year-old has plenty of Serie A experience with Lazio, Spezia and Empoli, is a former winner of the league’s goalkeeper of the year award and will be entering the final year of his Biancocelesti contract in July. 

His agent, Rava, has been spotted at Inter’s headquarters on Wednesday, with reports from several outlets confirming that he is there to discuss a potential deal for Provedel. 

Alfredo Pedullà reports that Lazio will be seeking a fee in the region of €4m-€5m for the 32-year-old goalkeeper this summer.

Watch: Inter hold Provedel talks with goalkeeper’s agent

Gianni Rava, agente di Ivan Provedel, è nella sede dell’@Inter @SkySport pic.twitter.com/jWSDAxWbow

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) June 10, 2026

Inter are closing in on the signing of Ivan Provedel from Lazio, with the experienced Italian goalkeeper set to join as competition and cover for Spaniard Josep Martinez.

According to Sky Sport, via CalcioMercato.it, the Nerazzurri are preparing to say goodbye to Yann Sommer this summer and want to pair Martinez, who is expected to be handed the number one shirt, with a reliable and experienced deputy.

Provedel fits that profile perfectly, having established himself as one of Serie A’s more dependable goalkeepers during his time at the Olimpico.

Lazio set to promote Mandas as Provedel departure clears path for Greek international

The move makes sense for all parties.

Lazio are expected to hand the starting role to Christos Mandas following his return from a loan spell at Bournemouth, making Provedel surplus to requirements.

Meanwhile, young goalkeeper Edoardo Motta, who signed for the club in January, will likely feature as Mandas’ deputy.

Inter are understood to be willing to pay approximately €3 million to secure the deal, a modest outlay for a goalkeeper of his experience and quality as the Scudetto holders look to maintain strong depth between the posts.