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Sunderland flop but Italian star Emanuele Giaccherini set for Napoli exit

Emanuele Giaccherini of Sunderland (Reuters)
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The Italian international left Sunderland in the summer.

This summer saw Italian international Emanuele Giaccherini make a permanent move away from Sunderland.

Giaccherini was a shock coup for Sunderland back in 2013. He arrived from Juventus for a fee reported by The Mirror to be in the £6.5 million region.

But he struggled to find form and fitness at Sunderland, despite shining out on loan and with the Italian national team at Euro 2016.

Italy's Emanuele Giaccherini celebrates after scoring their first goalItaly’s Emanuele Giaccherini celebrates after scoring their first goal

His form in France saw many a Sunderland fan asking for the club to give him a chance in the first-team, but he had his heart set on a move away from the club.

He got that move, joining Napoli in the summer.

But it is a move that has failed to reap rewards for the player. He has played just 12 times for the club since making his move and his agent confirmed today he will be leaving the club.

Furio Valcareggi has told Radio Kiss Kiss:

“I have now understood that Emanuele will never play again [at Napoli]. I am friends with [Napoli manager] Maurizio Sarri and there isn’t an argument with him.

“But I am asking, together with my colleague Giulio Marinelli that we find a solution for him to leave the club.”

Emanuele Giaccherini of SunderlandEmanuele Giaccherini of Sunderland

Sunderland fans will of course wish he was still at the club. He looked a brilliant player at the Euros and could surely have benefitted David Moyes this season.

But it will be interesting to see where he ends up this month.