Lucarelli availability alerts Spurs, Celtic & QPR
Italian striker Christiano Lucarelli is being heavily linked with a move to these shores either with Spurs or Celtic after the current Shakhtar Donetsk striker has become increasingly unsettled at the Ukrainian club. Lucarelli joined from Livorno only in the summer but after a disappointing European campaign, which saw Shakhtar knocked out of the Champions League, without even the consolation of the UEFA Cup, his current coach has admitted that Lucarelli could well be on his way out of the club.
The potential availability of the striker has not only alerted the interest of Spurs and Celtic but also a host of Italian clubs hoping to lure Lucarelli back to his homeland with amongst others, his previous club Livorno as well as Genoa, Palermo, Napoli, AC Milan and Torino as well as somewhat implausibly QPR, in the Championship.
Mircea Lucescu, the Romanian coach at Shakhtar, admitted that although the sporting performance of Lucarelli had been satisfactory, he scored goals in he qualifying round against Red Bull Salzburg, paving the way for Shakhtar to qualify for the group stages, as well as scoring in wins in the opening two match days against Celtic and Benfica, the proposition of the Ukrainian league, in which Shakhtar face a long slog to haul Dnipro back is, is an altogether different one.
Shakhtar have already indicated via the manager that they wouldn't stand in the way of a move of Lucarelli with Lucescu stating: "In Donetsk we hold no prisoners - if Lucarelli wants to go in January, then we can talk about it". Such a stance will come as a relief to Lucarelli and his agent stated: "Dealing with Shakhtar is not easy but the simplest option would be for him to return to Italy in June rather than in January"
The most creditable interest would come from AC Milan who have been desperately short of goals, especially in the league, this season and signing a striker with a proven track record in Italy in the winter transfer window would make sense. With the transfer fee not expected to be much less than what Shakhtar initially shelled out for him, believed to be approximately £6.5 million, only AC Milan from Italy would have that sort of money available to secure his services.
Meanwhile whilst Spurs certainly could stump up such a fee whether the Spurs management would want another striker, when they already have one too many, is open to debate. Celtic wouldn't be able to afford to have such a high quality player sitting on the bench given that Jan Veenegoor of Hesselink is a similar type; strong in the air and a good finisher, unless they intend to move the former PSV man on to pastures new. QPR's interest meanwhile is surely no more than speculative despite the Italian manager connection and the increased funds available to the club following the buy-out by Italian textiles magnate Flavio Briatore. Besides moving from Italy to a Ukrainian side to play in the Champions League is one thing but to then leave that side for one playing in the English First Division is another thing altogether!
