Lazio plans to hold on to early Serie A scoring leader Mauro Zarate after his loan deal expires.
"There's no doubt he's going to play with Lazio's jersey next year," club president Claudio Lotito said Thursday.
Zarate has scored six goals through five rounds, helping Lazio to the top of the table with 12 points.
Lotito signed the 21-year-old Argentine on loan from Al-Sadd in Qatar for 2 million (US$2.8 million) and the club has until April to decide if it wants to pay another 15 million (US$21.9 million) to keep him.
"Paying up was never open for debate," Lotito said.
Zarate led the Argentine Apertura in 2006 with 12 goals for Velez Sarsfield and was a member of Argentina's team that won the Under-20 World Cup in 2007.
