New York City FC are busy preparing for entry into Major League Soccer for the 2015 season, and they have already signed European stars David Villa and Frank Lampard. Could Alberto Aquilani be the third big name to join the new club?
Italian TV broadcaster Sportmediaset reported on Saturday that Aquilani was unhappy with a contract offer that includes a wage reduction at his current club, Fiorentina, and has been on the radar of NYCFC. No word from the MLS club on the news.
Meanwhile, Football Italia reported, also on Saturday, that Aquilani's current deal runs through June 2015, and he could stay with the Viola and make the move to New York in January, ahead of the 2015 MLS season.
Aquilani, 30, has spent most of his career in Italy, with stops at Roma, Juventus and AC Milan in addition to Fiorentina. He also played for Liverpool, though injuries and a series of loans away from the English club limited his impact there.
Aquilani has arguably been at his most settled and most productive in Florence, scoring 13 goals in 56 Serie A appearances the last two seasons.
An Italian international since 2006, Aquilani is a midfield playmaker, and would therefore appear to fit positionally with confirmed NYCFC signings Villa and Lampard.
