Lazio's Liverani swoop dominates transfer free-for-all
( 2001-09-29 10:22 ) (7 )

Lazio's audacious transfer swoop for Perugia's Italian international midfielder Fabio Liverani was the highlight Friday on the last day of business before the closure of the Autumn transfer market.

Liverani joins the crisis club for a package worth 14 million dollars with Lazio's young striker Emanuele Berrettoni moving in the opposite way.

The signing met with a muted reception by Lazio's 'ultras' - the hardcore fans who have acquired a reputation for racism in recent years.

"We have in our minds only the team and the difficult period it is experiencing," said a statement. "On Sunday we must beat Parma."

It was not clear why the fans were so unfazed by the signing of Liverani - the son of an Italian father and a Somali mother - who earlier this year became the first coloured player to represent Italy.

Part of the reason could be Rome-born Liverani's admission that he was a keen AS Roma fan and that he had spent a week celebrating when Fabio Capello's side won their first Italian first division title for 18 years earlier this year.

Perugia were busy on the transfer front as they bid to compensate for the departure of their most precious asset.

In all they signed three strikers. As well as Berrettoni they also snapped up Venezia's Fabio Bazzani and Udinese's Greek forward Dimitrios Nalitzis.

The Umbrian outfit also snapped up Iranian defender Rahman Rezai from Esefahan.

Venezia moved quickly to snap up Uruguay skipper Pablo Gabriel Garcia who is surplus to requirements at AC Milan who this week re-signed striker Marco Simone from Monaco and Belarus prospect Vitali Kutuzov from Bate Borisov.

The Venice outfit also finished the paperwork to complete the signing of Argentinian Mathias Abel Donnet from Santa Fe.

Serie A newcomers Chievo also moved to strengthen the squad that has made such a good start to the season.

On loan from Inter Milan comes midfielder Jonatan Binotto and Vicenza's Fabio Firmani with Chievo midfielder Andrea Zanchetta moving to Vicenza.

Inter Milan also offloaded defender Luca Mezzano to Torino on loan with a view to a permanent deal.

Not all the projected moves came off, however. Fiorentina's Enrico Chiesa decided to stay with the cash-strapped outfit after being offered a new improved contract.

Chiesa, who was the highest-scoring Italian in Serie A last season, had been expected to join Lazio.

The transfer market reopens in January.