Lucarelli To Trade Shakhtar For QPR?
Italian international striker Cristiano Lucarelli has emerged as a surprise transfer target for under-achieving Championship club Queens Park Rangers.
There is already a distinct Italian flavour at Loftus Road as the historic London club are owned by Italian magnate Flavio Briatore and are led by former Siena coach Luigi De Canio.
QPR will have to beat off interest from AC Milan for the 32-year-old sharp shooter, who just last summer completed a shock transfer to Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk from Livorno.
Despite a healthy goal return of six in 13, Lucarelli has failed to fully settle at the RSK Olimpiyskiy, and there is a widely held notion that Shakhtar would be prepared to sell him in January if they fail to qualify for the next round of the Champions League once all is said and done following their clash with Celtic on November 28.
The player himself hinted that a departure is in the cards when recently pressed to comment on rumours linking him to Milan, but suggested that he would be looking for more than just a six month stay in Ukraine.
“There may be an opportunity for me to return to Italy but in reality it is not logical that I return in January,” he said. “It makes more sense for me to wait until the summer to decide what is best for me.”
Lucarelli set for QPR?
Azzurri striker Cristiano Lucarelli is being linked with a sensational move to Queens Park Rangers.
The Super Hoops are owned by Italian tycoon Flavio Briatore and have ex-Siena boss Luigi De Canio at the helm.
The Shepherd’s Bush outfit were rumoured to have considered an audacious move for Alessandro Del Piero during his protracted contract negotiations with Juventus.
Lucarelli left hometown club Livorno for Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk last summer, but the prolific hitman has struggled to get his feet under the table at RSK Olimpiyskiy.
It is suspected that if Shakhtar are eliminated from the Champions League after their game against Celtic on November 28, Lucarelli could be allowed to talk to other clubs.
While Milan remain favourites to lure the No 99, a move to London is not entirely out of the question.
