Gazka Mendieta is set to bring his Italian nightmare to an end by lining up a loan move to Barcelona next season, according to reports in Spain this morning.
After reaching agreement in principle on the move Barcelona are due to pay Lazio €9 million and a further €12m by way of compensation to the midfielder's old club, Valencia.
Barcelona will have to pay out another €25m to Lazio if they decide to hold on to the 28-year-old midfielder. Mendieta, who has endured a torrid year in Rome, has yet to make a bow at the World Cup finals in Korea and Japan.
A report in the Sportnewspaper added that the envisaged swop with Barca's Brazilian star Rivaldo is on hold as the two clubs have differing views on the 1999 Footballer of the Year's true worth.
Mendieta's arrival comes at the end of a week which saw new Barca manager Louis Van Gaal sign up goalkeeper Robert Enke from Benfica.
Van Gaal returned for his second spell at the Catalan giants last month after taking time out to coach the Dutch national team.
He said at the time of his appointment that he was determined to match the European champions Real Madrid.
"It is true that Real Madrid have won a lot of European titles. I can't change history but perhaps I can have an effect on the future. That is what counts - the future belongs to Barcelona," the Dutchman predicted.
Barcelona finished fourth in last season's Spanish league, 11 points adrift of champions Valencia.