Immobile hailed as 'the best striker in Europe'

Lazio star Ciro Immobile is the best striker in Europe at the moment, according to his agent.

The 29-year-old Italy international scored twice in the 5-1 thrashing of SPAL last Sunday to take his tally to 25 Serie A goals for the season.

Immobile has accounted for almost half of Lazio's 52 league goals in 2019-20 and leads the race for the European Golden Shoe ahead of Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski and RB Leipzig's Timo Werner.

He is six goals clear of Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the Serie A scoring charts and is the first player since former Inter, Roma and Milan attacker Antonio Valentin Angelillo back in 1959 to reach 25 goals in the first 21 league games of the season in Italy's top flight.

Such has been Immobile's ruthless form that his representative, Alessandro Moggi, is in no doubt as to how he compares to the other leading forwards in the continent.

"I think he's the best striker in Europe, not just Italy," he said to Tuttomercatoweb.

Immobile's goals have propelled Lazio into a surprise Scudetto challenge.

Simone Inzaghi's men, who have lost just twice all season, will move second in the table and to within two points of leaders Juventus if they beat Hellas Verona on Wednesday.

Moggi thinks the fact Lazio and Inter are challenging Juve's dominance this season shows Serie A is on track to become Europe's elite league once more.

"It's certainly not a coincidence. It's the result of all three teams' work," he said of seeing three sides scrapping for the top of the table.

"I have to emphasise the work of Lazio, especially sporting director [Igli] Tare, who has managed to make his team competitive and even fight for the title with fewer resources.

"Serie A has got back to spending. It's returned to a league of arrivals, not only departures. We can get back to the glories of the past."