26 goals this season in Serie B has made Pescara striker Gianluca Lapadula one of the hottest properties in Italy. The 26-year-old Italian has been the subject of much attention from a host of Serie A clubs with the main two protagonists being Juventus and Napoli. La Gazzetta dello Sport declares this morning that the player has finally made up his mind of where he wants to play next season and it’s this season’s runners-up that are in pole-position.
 

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis met Pescara officials on Wednesday and a player plus cash deal looks to have been agreed. According to the pink journal, the promise of a regular starting berth both domestically and in the Champions League has tipped the balance in favour of the southern giants.   

Corriere dello Sport states that the agent of Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure claims that his player is currently in talks with Inter about a summer move. The 32-year-old Ivorian is set to leave the Etihad Stadium and reunite with his former boss Roberto Mancini.


 

Staying with Inter, Tuttosport reports that the nearzzurri are prepared to offer Juventus €25 million for Italian striker Domenico Berrardi. The 21-year-old is currently at Sassuolo, but the Old Lady is believed to have a “Gentleman’s agreement” in place to take the player this summer.  

The Rome edition of Corriere dello Sport reports that Lazio may have found a substitute for German striker Miroslav Klose, who left the club last week. The player in question is 31-year-old Herta Berlin frontman Vedad Ibišević. The Bosnian international has a year left on his current deal with the Bundesliga side and has the ideal profile for the club from the Italian capital.
 

Back in Turin, Tuttosport claims that Juventus will offer striker Simone Zaza as part of any deal to land Valencia midfielder Andre Gomes. The journal reports that the Spaniards are long time admirers of the Italian international.

 

Former Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic is close to agreeing a deal to become the new coach of Torino. Tuttosport states that the Serbian must first discuss compensation payments with his former employer before the appointment is confirmed.

Back in the capital, Corriere dello Sport states that Roma are close to an agreement with Bologna for 18-year-old midfielder Amadou Diawara. The youngster from Guinea has also been a target for Bayern Munich.

 

There’s more speculation this morning in the same journal that Roma will decide not to take up their option to buy central defender Antonio Rudiger from Stuttgart. Coach Luciano Spalletti has his eye firmly set on Dynamo Kiev’s Aleksander Dragovich as his replacement.  

Napoli’s midfield re-shuffle this summer is also the focus of attention for Corriere dello Sport. Porto’s Hector Herrera and Davy Klaasen of Ajax are reportedly the front-runners to join Maurizio Sarri’s side.


Steve Mitchell @barafundler