Former Leeds striker has had a mixed start at his new club SPAL.
Leeds United’s Mirco Antenucci shoots
Despite scoring 19 goals for Leeds United over the past two seasons, the club made the decision not to renew the contract of Mirco Antenucci in the summer.
No other player surpassed that figure for the club between 2014 and 2016, but Leeds felt it was time to release a player who they could not promise a regular starting role to.
Antenucci, 32, made the decision to return to Italy, and after several enquiries from interested clubs, he signed a contract with Serie B side SPAL, also known by their longer title as Societa Polisportiva Ars et Labor.
Leeds United’s Chris Wood and Mirco Antenucci celebrate after the match
The striker had a promising start, scoring in the Coppa Italia in early August in consecutive games, against Messina, and then Massimo Cellino’s former club Cagliari.
But in Serie B it has been more of a struggle for Antenucci, who went six games without scoring a single goal.
His drought ended last weekend when he finally netted in SPAL’s 3-2 victory over Salernitana.
Antenucci has one assist to his name too, but it has not been the start he would have wanted, with SPAL sitting in mid-table, 11th out of 22 teams.
The Italian can point to the fact he has three goals in nine games in all competitions as signs of steady if unspectacular progress, but his form has done little to demonstrate to Leeds United that they made an error in releasing him in the summer.
Leeds United’s Mirco Antenucci celebrates scoring his sides first goal
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
