Lazio midfielder Diego Simeone has requested club president Sergio Cragnotti start paying the players, or risk unrest within the club.

Lazio, who have begun the season in impressive fashion despite their stricken financial state, have been unable to pay the wages of their players since June. The club currently lie second in Serie A and boast a 100 per cent away record in the league this season.

However, Simeone has warned Cragnotti that the Lazio’s failure to pay wages threatens to undermine the unity at the club, upon which their recent good run has been based.

‘It would be terrible if this toy were to be broken,’ Simeone told the daily Gazzetta dello Sport. ‘A solution has to be found one way or another’.

‘We have always had faith in Cragnotti and we continue to respect the president. But that respect needs to be reciprocated. We hope that before Christmas the questions will be resolved once and for all for everyone.

‘We are waitingfor something to happen and we have that this time the promises won’t be shown to be just words. Now we need deeds,’ added the Argentinian.