Quag Deal Still On?

Despite recently becoming a fully-owned Udinese player, Fabio Quagliarella has insisted that he could still move clubs, with Juventus and Manchester United both rumoured to be interested.

I had written earlier how Udinese had won the battle with Sampdoria for full-ownership of the 23 year old, beating them by £600,000 in a blind auction, however it seems Quagliarella doesn`t necessarily see this as the final stage in the saga. Speaking to Gazette dello Sport, he said,

"I say it clearly - I am ready for a big club. I am accustomed to making the most out of my opportunities, so Juve or Manchester would be a great chance for me. If the right offer reached Udinese, then obviously my future could change. But I also reflect on the fact I need a certain consistency in the first team to keep growing and I think Udinese can give me that."

Quagliarella then went on to talk about his two admirers, Juventus and Manchester United, giving reasons why both would be the ideal club for the man who scored 13 Serie A goals last season.

"Juve are one of the most important clubs in the world. Who would walk away from that? It would be a wonderful experience. Manchester United are also prestigious and I watch the Premiership on television. Perhaps the football is not as competitive as in Italy, but it is very tough physically."

However, the Italian then went on to admit that at the time being, he may not be mature enough to merit a move to a European giant, explaining how next season may be the most important of his career to date.

"I do not feel I am 100 per cent mature as a player. I am growing at the right tempo. There`s a long road ahead of me and this next season will be the most difficult, as I have to confirm my talent."

I must admit, I thought that following Udinese`s £6 million bid for the striker, that his future was all but sorted, but it seems as if Quagliarella sees otherwise, and though I`m still not sure whether or not he will actually move, it would be nice to see him join Old Trafford. Having said that, I do think it is too early for the 23 year old, and I would much prefer that in the short-term that we sign a striker with a bit more experience, preferably in the premiership, such as Eidur Gudjohnson of Barcelona. That is not to say I would be opposed to the signing of Fabio Quagliarella, but instead I feel that we have enough flair players, and from what I`ve seen Quagliarella isn`t really you typical centre-forward, and I believe that we need a striker, very much in the RVN mould, who could fit into our team instantly.

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