Pompey likely lad? Giampaolo Pazzini

Pompey are being 'linked' with strikers all over the shop, so we are taking a look at the ones most 'strongly linked' - or so we are being told most strongly linked - in turn. They are not in a preferential order just alphabetical.

'Reports' last weekend surfaced that Harry Redknapp could be targeting Italian U21 international Giampaolo Pazzini with Fiorentina under pressure to sell due to 'reported' financial difficulties still.

Pazzini shot to prominence in England after scoring a hat trick in the first ever match played at the newly refurbished Wembley - when this was eventually completed! His first goal - and the first at the stadium - came after only 28 seconds of the 3-3 draw with England.

I have seen him play a few times and have always been impressed with him, but a strike rate of 1 goal in every 4 games is not too impressive at all, but some of his appearance would have come as a sub during the very early stages of his career.

He is said to be a 'direct and powerful' centre forward who is a 'threat in the air' and also has a 'powerful shot'. From seeing him a handful of times I would tend to agree.

It is claimed that Pompey could move for him when the U21 Euro's finish at the weekend - but with a fee of £7.5million being quoted it would be unlikely that Redknapp would be willing to pay such an amount on someone so young and unknown to him?

My thinking is I would very much like to see him a Pompey player as he has tremendous potential and would be a valuable long term asset, but Redknapp would probably see things differently so I would say we have a 2 out of 5 rating chance of seeing him at Pompey this summer - hopefully I am wrong?

Next - and last - under the microscope will be Yakubu.

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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