AC Milan have reportedly made Gianluca Lapadula available and Everton and Brighton appear to be leading the chase.
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy’s fairytale Premier League success story means every other ‘rags to riches’ tale in world football looks a little inferior by comparison.
However, that’s not to say that Gianluca Lapadula’s journey from the third tier to AC Milan’s starting XI within the space of two years is not remarkable in its own right. Lapadula was 26 years of age when he made his Serie A debut last season – and the fact it came in the colours of the 18-time title winners is certainly an impressive feat.
Gianluca Lapadula
Eight goals in 27 games in 2016/17 represents a respectable tally for the player who made his reputation in Serie B with Pescara the year before. And an international hat-trick in only his second Italy appearance, albeit against San Marino, was a fitting way to bring the curtain down on an astonishing 12 months.
And is the Premier League the next step in this rollercoaster career? According to Tuttomercatoweb, newly promoted Brighton and Hove Albion want Lapadula with AC Milan’s signing of prolific Andre Silva from Porto pushing the fans favourite down the pecking order.
Andre Silva scored 21 times for Porto last season
However, the Seagulls are flatly refusing to meet Milan’s hefty £17.5 million valuation – a fee that would see Lapadula become by far and away their most expensive signing of all time.
Therefore, this could open the door to Everton. The report claims that The Toffees are interested and, with billionaire shareholder Farhad Moshiri keen to splash the cash, there’s little doubt that they could comfortably afford Lapadula’s price tag.
Furthermore, with Romelu Lukaku edging closer to the exit, new strikers are a must at Goodison Park – meaning Lapadula’s availability makes him an attractive proposition.
And with Brighton dawdling, Everton could nab him from under their nose.
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