On Friday, it appeared quite certain that Nottingham Forest have sealed the deal for Napoli’s Lorenzo Lucca.
The striker trained with his side for the last time on Thursday. Soon after, he bid farewell to his teammates and flew to England to complete the transfer.
Nottingham Forest are landing the striker on an initial loan and have an option to buy him permanently. With the move on the verge of completion, Lucca is attracting some backlash in Italy.
The Azzurri forward didn’t speak to the media on his way to the airport. He kept his head down and walked directly inside. SportItalia’s Michele Criscitiello was present at the scene and had some harsh words to say about the striker.
He told the outlet – relayed by AreaNapoli: “You can’t behave like this, you have to wake up. If you don’t change your attitude, you’ll do damage elsewhere too.”
Usually, players departing Italian clubs give a final word to journalists at the airport before they leave. That is considered an unsaid norm in Italy.
The negativity around Lucca doesn’t end there. AreaNapoli note how the 25-year-old was at fault during Napoli’s 1-1 draw against Copenhagen in the Champions League. He missed a big 1v1 opportunity, leaving the Partenopei on the edge of elimination.
They are simply adding on the barrage of criticism Lucca has faced this season. He’s become an easy target, and they’re not going to miss the final chances.
Nottingham Forest and Dyche should suit striker
Lucca has played only 401 minutes in Serie A this season. That isn’t enough for any striker to make a mark, especially since Rasmus Højlund was always Antonio Conte’s preference.
Besides, Lucca is someone who will be better off as a back-up option. He offers a huge presence upfront that teammates can aim at and Sean Dyche has always had a preference for strikers like that.
This can make Lucca quite a weapon for Nottingham Forest.
