Andrea Tabanelli has had a very up and down time as a footballer. Periods of good form have been mixed with not so good form, and the 28 year old has also struggled with injuries and fitness.
Now things are calmer in his career and he’s enjoying his time with Serie B club Lecce. So much so that local newspaper Quotidiano di Puglia say he’s been a ‘revelation’ so far this season, a standout player for the club.
It could all have been very different, with Tabanelli speaking to the newspaper about almost swapping Cagliari for Leeds United in 2014.
Having only just signed for the Sardinia club, on a part ownership basis, their owner, a certain Massimo Cellino, had a big plan. Tabanelli is quoted as saying: “The transfer in January was 2014. But the owner Cellino, who had bought Leeds, wanted to take me to England right away. Together with me he had in mind to also transfer Gianluca Festa.”
Leeds United’s then owner had wanted Festa to take over as manager at the club, looking to edge out Brian McDermott. Tabanelli was sent to Leeds and had been training with the club, and with the managerial situation an absolute mess it was stated Festa was the player’s translator, which made little sense.
In the end, Cellino didn’t get his way and Festa returned to Italy, shortly followed by Tabanelli after his move was deemed to be outside of the transfer rules.
The footballer then ended up at Pisa, and had to be convinced by Generao Gattuso not to give the game up, having become frustrated following injury issues.
