‘Dangerous’ Fisayo Dele-Bashiru backed by Bruno Giordano to become Lazio force

Lazio legend Bruno Giordano believes Fisayo Dele-Bashiru possesses the physical and attacking qualities to trouble opponents, but has warned that the Nigerian midfielder still has significant tactical development ahead of him.

Giordano, while assessing the options available to Lazio coach Gennaro Gattuso, singled out Dele-Bashiru as a player capable of making a difference through his strength, directness and ability to compete in individual battles.

“Dele-Bashiru? He’s a player who gives the impression of being dangerous. He’s undisciplined in the game, but he has physical and attacking skills. It’s unlikely because he’s a man-on-man duel, even if he still has a lot to learn tactically,” he said, as quoted by Lazio News.

The assessment highlights the qualities that have made Dele-Bashiru an intriguing option for Lazio while also identifying an area that could determine how far he develops under Gattuso.

Injury interrupts Nigerian’s progress

Dele-Bashiru’s progress at Lazio was disrupted by a thigh injury sustained during the club’s 1-0 Serie A win over Bologna on August 24.

The Nigerian midfielder started the encounter but was forced off after 54 minutes. Subsequent medical examinations revealed a first- or second-degree tear, ruling him out for at least three weeks.

The injury came at an unfortunate time for Dele-Bashiru, who had been working to establish himself more firmly within Lazio’s midfield options.

His absence also meant he missed out on Nigeria’s September international assignments. Éric Chelle left the midfielder out of the squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau because he was unavailable for selection.

The setback therefore halted both his club momentum and his involvement with the Super Eagles at a crucial stage of their AFCON qualifying campaign.

Gattuso takes no chances with comeback

Lazio have adopted a measured approach to Dele-Bashiru’s rehabilitation rather than risk aggravating the problem by bringing him back too soon.

Gattuso confirmed in September that the club would not rush the midfielder into action against Venezia as he continued his recovery.

That cautious approach has since produced encouraging signs, with Dele-Bashiru returning to full group training towards the end of September.

His return followed more than a month on the sidelines and represented an important step towards regaining full match fitness.