Over the past week Italian side Empoli have been considering signing Arnel Jakupovic from Middlesbrough. The idea made its way to the Italian media, and then was picked up in England, but as quickly as it came it seems it’s going.
Gazzetta dello Sport report on Thursday that Empoli are ‘moving away’ from the idea of signing the Middlesbrough player. There’s no real explanation, but it seems other targets, more senior players, have proven to be more attractive when it’s come to the crunch.
Middlesbrough signed Jakupovic in August 2015 and the striker players with the club’s development side. The 18 year old has represented Austria at all youth levels inclusding U21.
Earlier Italian reports had suggested Jakupovic was keen to make the move and that’s understandable, playing for Empoli in Serie is an attractive option for a youngster still in Middlesbrough’s development set-up.
There’s little chance of Jakupovic breaking through this season at Middlesbrough, and he may have found it hard at Empoli too, despite promises which will have been dangled.
At Empoli Jakupovic would have had to tussle with a certain Massimo Maccarone (pictured above, because why not?!) for time on the pitch.
