Lazio has been seeking to sell 22-year-old Serbian international Petar Ratkov this summer to enable the signing of a new striker. Southampton was a potential destination for the player, but Ratkov declined a move to the club earlier in the window. The striker was not interested in the move, which resulted in the Saints pursuing other options, eventually signing Divin Mubama. It has also been reported that Dynamo Moscow has an interest in Ratkov. The centre-forward joined Lazio from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2026 for a fee reported to be €13 million and made 8 appearances without scoring in Serie A last season. In August 2026, Dinamo Moscow reportedly proposed €15 million plus bonuses for the player, and it was said that Lazio accepted this proposal.