Juve sign Toni to replace Quagliarella
Reuters - Friday 07 January 2011, 17:31
MILAN - Juventus moved quickly to sign
Genoa striker Luca Toni on Friday after Fabio Quagliarella was
ruled out for the rest of the season with ruptured knee
ligaments.
World Cup winner Toni, who joined Genoa at the start of the
season after AS Roma opted not to make his loan move from Bayern
Munich permanent, signed a deal until June 2012 after arriving
on a free transfer.
"You can never say no to Juve," Toni told a news conference.
"I've realised a dream and I am extremely happy. When the
transfer was proposed to me I didn't hesitate and I didn't have
any problems reducing my wages."
In-form Italy forward Quagliarella suffered the injury after
three minutes of Thursday's 4-1 home defeat by Parma and a new
striker in the transfer window became a necessity for Juve given
Vincenzo Iaquinta is also out with a thigh problem.
"In the coming days Quagliarella will undergo reconstructive
surgery on the ligament. The prognosis is around six months,"
Juve said in a statement.
The Turin club, hit by a string of injuries in recent years,
had been linked in the media with Fiorentina striker Alberto
Gilardino and Catania's Maxi Lopez even before Quagliarella's
injury but have taken Toni despite his poor form.
Toni, 33, has scored only three times in the league for
Genoa this season and has not featured for Italy in two years.
ANOTHER STRIKER
Local reports say Luigi Del Neri's side may try to sign
another striker later in January.
Juve, who also have the ageing Alessandro Del Piero and
inconsistent Amauri for up front, were hoping to mount an
assault on the Serie A title in the second half of the season
but lie eight points behind leaders AC Milan after Thursday's
defeat.
Quagliarella is on loan from Napoli with a permanent deal
planned for the end of the season, which could now be in doubt.
On a bad day for Juve following Thursday's thumping, Felipe
Melo was banned for three matches after being sent off against
Parma for kicking out at Massimo Paci while goalkeeper Marco
Storari had checks on a chest injury.
Gianluigi Buffon is back in full training for the first time
since injuring his back at the World Cup so could come in for
Storari at Napoli on Sunday.
Del Neri had initially said Buffon, whose future at Juve has
come under scrutiny given Storari's good form, would return next
Thursday in the Italian Cup last-16 game with Catania.