Premier League Saints are reportedly battling Serie A giants AC Milan to sign Ascoli striker Gianluca Scamacca – can Ralph Hasenhuttl unleash his potential?
Gianluca Scamacca just cannot escape the brooding shadow of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Even when he was a fresh-faced 17-year-old without a single senior appearance to his name, the Rome-born striker found himself being matched up to the standards set by one of the most iconic centre-forwards of the 21st century.
And, six years on, those Ibrahimovic comparisons are rearing their head again. According to Corriere dello Sport, AC Milan have identified Scamacca as the ideal candidate to fill a giant, Zlatan-shaped void in their frontline come the summer.
Now, stepping into Zlatan’s shoes would be a task too big for many an established, top-class centre-forward – not to mention a 21-year-old who is only just getting started. So if Scamacca wants to make a name for himself in his own right, and shed that ‘new Ibra’ tag, he will choose the South Coast over the San Siro.
And, thanks to Southampton, he could be handed such an opportunity.
Tuttomercatoweb reports that The Saints have been watching Scamacca’s development closely in the Italian second tier. A 6ft 4ins centre-forward with the skill and style to bely his rangy frame (like the former Manchester United, Barcelona and PSG hero we might add) has 11 goals in 25 games for Ascoli this season.
At the age of just 21, surely Scamacca does not need the pressure of leading the line for an AC Milan side desperate to return to the glory days, especially in the post-Ibra era. At Southampton, he will be afforded the time and patience he needs to prove that he is more than just a shadow of somebody else.
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