Torino keep pushing for Lucca, Napoli may open to loan in January

Torino's first approach came in mid-August and was turned down. Lucca's lack of goals at Napoli since then could persuade the club to soften its terms this time.

by Rosaria CimminoFriday 2 October, 07:24 CET· 3 hours ago

Lorenzo Lucca — Foto: Original: Giova36 / Derivative work: Danyele · CC BY-SA 4.0

Torino have not given up on Lorenzo Lucca and plan to try again in January. The interest, driven by head coach Ignazio Abate and sporting director Gianluca Petrachi, is not new: in mid-August the Piedmont club already made a formal proposal, a paid loan with an option to buy. Napoli, through Giovanni Manna, blocked the move, holding out for a permanent sale or a loan with a binding obligation to buy.

Lucca's situation at Napoli has not improved since then: two goals in total since arriving from Udinese, none this season. In recent days his agent, Beppe Riso, passed on a message — October is the month to prove he deserves a place, or Napoli will consider a loan to a Serie A club in January, with Udinese's Davis among the names being watched as a replacement. For Lucca, who came through Torino's academy and is from Moncalieri, a town near Turin, it would also be a return home.

With those numbers, the terms that stalled the deal in summer may not hold in January. Torino are watching, ready to go again.