Premier League Southampton may have to part with £17 million to secure the services of Lorenzo Lucca, Pisa president Giuseppe Corrado told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Soon enough, Pisa may be famous for more than its lopsided landmark.
I Nerazzuri have not graced the top flight of Italian football since the early 90s, when Diego Simeone was an up-and-coming youngster looking to make a name for himself at the Arena Garibaldi.
That could change soon enough, however, with their Italy U21 sensation firing Pisa to the summit of the Serie B table.
Lucca, 6ft 7ins centre-forward, has scored six times in just 11 games, earning comparisons with the legendary Gabriel Batistuta and catching the eye of Azzuri coach Roberto Mancini along the way.
TuttoB reported that Southampton – who have struggled for goals since the departure of talisman Danny Ings – scouted Lucca earlier in the season, with a January bid potentially on the cards.
But with Pisa desperate to stay clear of the chasing pack and secure a place among the Juventus’, the Milans and the Napolis of the world, taking Lucca away from the rolling hills of Tuscany will be no easy task – especially now that the club has an ambitious billionaire in Alexander Knaster at the helm.
Can Southampton afford Lorenzo Lucca?
“Sassuolo also wanted him. The request from Palermo was for three million euros, we were offering them two. Knaster said; ‘What does Sassuolo have that we don’t? Serie A football’,” explained Corrado.
“We made it clear to Lucca that we can get there (the top-flight) with him. Sassuolo withdrew and we satisfied Palermo with the bonuses (we offered in the deal).
“How much is he worth now? I don’t know, but if we make 20 million euros, Knaster has already paid off the investment (he made to buy the club).”
Southampton coach Ralph Hasenhuttl suggested recently that the club would only sign players available for £10 million and under – which would therefore rule them out of the race for Lucca’s signature (Echo).
The Saints have also been linked with Genk giant Paul Onuachu – another 6ft 7ins number nine – while one of Ronald Koeman’s signings has also been tipped to make a return to St Mary’s in 2022…
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