Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri was joking when he said he had never heard of Petar Ratkov after the Rome club signed the 22-year-old Serbia striker from Red Bull Salzburg, Director of Sport Angelo Fabiani said on Friday.
    Ratkov was drafted in after Lazio sold Argentine forward Taty Castellanos to West Ham United for a reported fee of close to 30 million euros.
    Lazio have also bought Netherlands midfielder Kenneth Taylor from Ajax after selling France midfielder Matteo Guendouzi to Fenerbahce.
    "Sarri didn't know Ratkov? He's Tuscan, he makes jokes," Fabiani said at the club's presentation of Ratkov and Taylor.
    "He did the same thing with Castellanos and then asked us to sign him.
    "Ratkov was seen by the coach's technical staff, the thing about not knowing the player was just a joke.
    "We know perfectly well that he knew him 100%.

It's a way to motivate the player".
    Ratkov said he was happy to be at "one of the best clubs in Italy, one of the biggest in Europe, adding that he hopes to stay for a long time.
    Taylor echoed those sentiments, saying the club convinced him to come to Rome with an "excellent project".
    Lazio were given the all-clear to do business in the January transfer window after being banned from doing deals in the closed season due to financial issues.
    Fabiani and Lazio Chairman Claudio Lotito have long been subject to fierce criticism from the club's fans for failing to build a team capable of challenging for trophies.
    Lazio are currently eighth in Serie A with 28 points, 18 behind leaders Inter.

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