Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has given a 1st senior call up to AS Roma goalie Gianluca Curci for Wednesday's friendly in Hungary.
The 22 year old, battling with Brazilian Doni for the number one jersey at Roma, has made the step up from the U21s.
Donadoni also surprisingly brought back Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani and Sampdoria's Angelo Palombo, with the likes of Daniele De Rossi short of match fitness.
The coach, without retired pair Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta, was forced to pick the team without seeing a competitive game after the league ignored his pleas and decided to start Serie A next weekend.
The world champions are 2nd in Euro 2008 Group B qualifying and play leaders France in Milan on September 8.
Forwards, Alessandro Del Piero (Juve), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich).
04 08 2007
As Udinese are preparing to face Coventry City this afternoon, the club has surprisingly handed Paulo Barreto to Serie B club Treviso.
Pasquale Marino's men will take on Coventry in a pre season friendly without Italian international forwards Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella.
Barreto has not made the trip either, as he was loaned out to Treviso for the 2007/2008 campaign.
It is a return for the 22 year old Brazilian forward, who 1st came to Italy for Treviso in 2002 when they were in Serie C1.
In the last 2 seasons he has made 53 top flight appearances for Udinese, scoring 8 goals.
It was a surprising decision, however not a permanent one, as Udinese said in the same meeting he extended his contract with the Friuli club until 2012.
Treviso have also sold Uruguayan central defender Carlos Adrian Valdez Suarez to Reggina, where he has signed a 5 year deal.
Reggina transferred midfielder Daniele Amerini to Serie B side Frosinone.
07 07 2007
A cryptic comment from Sampdoria GM Beppe Marotta has started speculation that Vincenzo Montella could return to the Blucerchiati.
Looking to make up for the loss of player forward Fabio Quagliarella and Francesco Flachi, who was sacked after failing a drug test, Samp have already signed Palermo's Andrea Caracciolo and Claudio Bellucci from Bologna.
However, it appears that Doria are looking to make one further swoop before the season starts and it is widely thought the new addition will be Montella.
'Our new man will be one of our ex players,' Marotta said in an interview for Rai. 'We are looking at big name – a club like Sampdoria can make this kind of signing.'
Although there is no definite indication that the mystery man is L'Aeroplanino, it could be a logical move for both club and player.
The Azzurri hitman spent the 2nd half of last season on loan to Fulham as he does not fit into Luciano Spalletti's plans.
With the arrival of Mauro Esposito the 33 year old's chances of finding regular 1st team football at the Stadio Olimpico have become even slimmer.
Montella made his name at Sampdoria between 1996 and 1999 when he made 83 appearances and found the net 54 times.
24 06 2007
Fabio Quagliarella could be a £10 million target for Man Utd, however he has other plans. 'I'd walk all the way to Turin for Juve.'
His future can now be decided after the resolution of his co-ownership status between Sampdoria and Udinese went in favour of the Friuli outfit.
He says that receiving an offer of at least £10 million from Man Utd, however it was discarded by his previous club Samp.
'I said it clearly – I am ready for a big club. I am accustomed to making the most out of my opportunities, so Juve or Manchester could be a good chance for me,' he informed the 'Corriere dello Sport.'
'If the right offer reached Udinese, then obviously my future would change. However, I also reflect on the fact I require a certain consistency in the 1st team to keep growing and I think Udinese can have given me that.'
Whilst Alex Ferguson is a good admirer of Quagliarella's, the Serie A breakout player is also high on Claudio Ranieri's list.
'Juve are one of the most important clubs in the world. Who would walk away from that? It could be a wonderful experience. Man Utd are also prestigious and I watch the Premier League on television. Perhaps the football is not as competitive as in Italy, however it is very tough physically.
With 13 goals in the top flight this term for a Sampdoria side wracked with problems and a brace on his 1st Italy start against Lithuania, can Quagliarella do better?
'I do not feel I am 100 per cent mature as a player. I am growing at the right tempo. There is a long road ahead of me and this next season will be the most difficult, as I must confirm my talent.'
23 06 2007
There were no real surprises as the blind auction envelopes to resolve co-ownership deals were opened this afternoon.
Fabio Quagliarella will leave Sampdoria after Udinese outbid them by £570,000, whilst Lazio offered more than Palermo for Stephen Makinwa.
BELINGHERI (ALBINOLEFFE-ASCOLI) ASCOLI
BOTTONE (VARESE-TORINO) TORINO
BRIVIO (FIORENTINA-ATALANTA) ATALANTA
CAROBBIO (GENOA-ALBINOLEFFE) ALBINOLEFFE
CAROTTI (CREMONESE-PARMA) CREMONESE
CASSETTI (ROMA-LECCE) ROMA
CAVAGNA (AREZZO-FOLIGNO) FOLIGNO
CESAR (CATANIA-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
CIARCIA (TERNANA-CROTONE) TERNANA
CODA (UDINESE-EMPOLI) UDINESE
COMOTTO (TORINO-ROMA) TORINO
CROCE (AREZZO-PESCARA) AREZZO
DE FALCO (PESCARA-FIORENTINA) PESCARA
DEL SOLE (SANREMESE-PARMA) PARMA
DI DEO (FROSINONE-TERNANA) TERNANA
DIAGOURAGA (SAMBENEDETTESE-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
DIDIO (REGGINA-TERNANA) TERNANA
FELCI (PESCARA-GIULIANOVA) PESCARA
FIUZZI (CUOIOPELLI-EMPOLI) EMPOLI
GAZZI (REGGINA-BARI) BARI
KONKO (SIENA-GENOA) SIENA
MAKINWA (LAZIO-PALERMO) LAZIO
MASIELLO (SIENA-GENOA) GENOA
MATTEINI (PALERMO-EMPOLI) PALERMO
MILANI (BARI-CITTADELLA) CITTADELLA
NOSSA (SAN MARINO-INTER) INTER
OLA (CESENA-TERAMO) CESENA
OLIVERI (PESCARA-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
OSVALDO (LECCE-ATALANTA) ATALANTA
PEDRELLI (VENEZIA-BOLOGNA) VENEZIA
PELLICORI (CESENA-PIACENZA) CESENA
PEPE (UDINESE-CAGLIARI) UDINESE
QUAGLIARELLA (SAMPDORIA-UDINESE) UDINESE
RINALDI (CARRARESE-GENOA) CARRARESE
RUSSO (GROSSETO-MESSINA) GROSSETO
SAVIANO (CASSINO-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
SIMONETTA (AREZZO-ROMA) AREZZO
SPITONI (GENOA-PERUGIA) GENOA
SORRENTINO (GROSSETO-PARMA) GROSSETO
VALERI (GROSSETO-INTER) GROSSETO
22 06 2007
Udinese Calcio sign Italy forward Fabio Quagliarella outright from UC Sampdoria, with the Genoa club finding a replacement in Andrea Caracciolo from US Citta di Palermo.
Udinese have gained full ownership of Quagliarella after outbidding Sampdoria in what the Italians call a blind auction for the other club's 50 per cent share in a player.
The 24 year old former Torino Calcio and Ascoli Calcio forward will therefore leave Sampdoria after a solitary season in which he scored 13 goals in 31 Serie A starts.
Quagliarella, who was linked with English champions Man Utd FC, also netted twice on his 1st full appearance for Italy in a UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying triumph in Lithuania on 6 June.
UEFA Intertoto Cup entrants Sampdoria have filled the gap by acquiring the services of another player in whom they have a half-share, 25 year old Palermo frontman Caracciolo.
The one time Italian international spent 2 campaigns in Sicily, registering 14 goals in 62 matches, and Palermo will retain their stake in the player.
Palermo have also secured the signature of 25 year old forward Davide Matteini from their fellow UEFA Cup qualifiers Empoli FC following another blind auction. Matteini scored 4 times in 32 league outings last term.
21 06 2007
The deadline for co-ownership agreements has passed and 14 players' futures will be decided by blind auction, that included Marco Cassetti and Fabio Quagliarella.
A blind auction takes place in Italian football when 2 sides cannot decide on the fate of a player.
Therefore they secretly place an offer, for the other club's 50 per cent stake in the individual, in a sealed envelope and then hand that over to the Italian Football League.
Whichever club bids the highest has to pay that fee in order to net the player. The envelopes will be opened Friday.
Some situations were resolved before the deadline. Davide Biondini and Paolo Bianco are now entirely owned by Cagliari after purchasing out Reggina and Catania respectively.
Davide Marchini is now co-owned by the Sardinians, having previously been on loan from Triestina.
Christian Maggio remains at Sampdoria after agreeing to share his contract with Fiorentina, renewing deals with Palermo for Christian Terlizzi and Massimo Bonanni as well as with Udinese for Mirko Pieri and Salvatore Foti.
Samp have sold their half of Luca Antonini to Milan and Mark Edusei to Catania.
However, the Blucerchiati have failed to reached an agreement with Udinese over the ownership of transfer hot property Quagliarella.
He goes into the blind auction along with 13 other players.
Blind auctions
Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria/Udinese)
Andrea Coda (Udinese/Empoli)
Marco Cassetti (Roma/Lecce)
Gianluca Comotto (Torino/Roma)
Damiano Ferronetti (Parma/Roma)
Giuseppe Scurto (Chievo/Roma)
Daniele Corvia (Siena/Roma)
Stephen Makinwa (Lazio/Palermo)
Michele Ferri (Cagliari/Palermo)
Davide Matteini (Palermo/Empoli)
Viktor Boudianski (Ascoli/Juve)
Daniele Gastaldello (Siena/Juve)
Tomas Danilevicius (Bologna/Livorno)
Mattia Graffiedi (Triestina/Milan)
20 06 2007
Udinese sporting director Pietro Leonardi claims that his club and Sampdoria will face a blind auction for Fabio Quagliarella.
The striker, one of the hottest properties on the transfer market, is co-owned by both clubs and they were unable to resolve his contract status.
'There will be a blind auction for Quagliarella,' mentioned Leonardi leaving the Ata Quark Hotel in Milan earlier today. 'Both clubs will now serenely make their offer.'
A blind auction takes place in Italian football when 2 sides cannot decide on the fate of a player.
Therefore they secretly place an offer, for the other club's 50 per cent stake in the individual, in a sealed envelope and then hand that over to the Italian Football League.
Whichever club bids the highest has to pay that fee in order to net the player.
Today's development dismisses reports saying that Sampdoria had a £4 million offer had taken by the Bianconeri last night.
The deadline for the co-ownership deals expires tonight at 19:00 local time and the envelopes will be opened tomorrow at the Lega Calcio offices.
All parties involved are eager to resolve the Quagliarella issue as early as probable as he cannot move on in the summer, as expected, until his ownership status is clarified.
The former Torino player, who scored 13 goals last season in Serie A, was the subject of a reported £10 million bid by Man Utd.
The Italian international, who scored a brace in the Euro 2008 qualifier against Lithuania earlier this month, is also a target for Man Utd, Juve, Roma and Milan.
20 06 2007
Sampdoria have reached a £4 million deal to buy out the remaining 50 per cent of Fabio Quagliarella's contract from Udinese, said reports.
The Italian international, who scored a sensational brace against Lithuania earlier this month, was unable to negotiate his transfer to a larger side until the 2 clubs would work out who owned him.
The situation was heading towards a blind auction – where both teams put their bid in a sealed envelope and the highest figure wins – however it is looking as if that will no longer be necessary.
Tonight's reports say that Sampdoria have agreed to hand over £4 million to complete their ownership of Quagliagol.
A meeting between Blucerchiati GM Beppe Marotta and Udinese director general Pietro Leonardi has resolved the matter.
Quagliarella spent this season at Samp, where he scored 13 Serie A goals and earned a place in Roberto Dondaoni's Italy squad.
Once he is completely under Sampdoria's control, they can in the end start intensive talks to sell him on to a giant.
Man Utd recently had a £10 million offer discarded and, as stated by Quagliarella himself, have now increased their offer.
Italian clubs interested in taking on the talented forward are Juve, Roma and Milan.
19 06 2007
Man Utd remain tight-lipped over says that by Sampdoria forward Fabio Quagliarella that he is being targeted by the Premier League champions.
Quagliarella, 23, mentioned that United have increased a reported £10 million bid to beat off opposition from top Serie A clubs.
Sampdoria said only an "extraordinary offer" would prise away Quagliarella, who is under contract until 2010.
Quagliarella informed Gazzetta dello Sport, "I would gladly join the Premier League however I would prefer to remain in Italy."
He joined Sampdoria from Ascoli last summer, even though his sporting rights are jointly owned by the Genoa club and Udinese.
Quagliarella made 35 Serie A appearances for Sampdoria last season and his 13 goals and performances earned him a call up by Italy coach Roberto Donadoni.
Earlier this month, he scored his 1st goals for the Azzurri in Italy's 2-0 Euro 2008 qualifying triumph against Lithuania.
Inspite of expressing an interest in a transfer to Manchester, Quagliarella says his preference could be to remain in Italy to seal his place in the national team.
He said, "It seems a serious offer from Manchester, they have raised it and it is an important figure. Man Utd are a big deal and if it finished up going that way, the Premier League is a fascinating and beautiful competition. However, I am really happy at Sampdoria and would prefer to remain in Italy, having continuity and the trust of Donadoni."
FC Barcelona's former Chelsea forward Eidur Gudjohnsen has also been linked with a transfer to Old Trafford, whilst United forward Giusseppe Rossi has pleaded for a 1st team chance.
Rossi, 20, was loaned out to Newcastle United at the start of last season before moving to Parma, where he enjoyed a goalscoring record that attracted the interest of Serie A clubs.
