Rolando Bianchi has gone on loan to Lazio until the end of the season, with a view to joining the Rome club on a permanent deal afterwards.I've been mulling this one over for most of the day, and I'm still struggling to fathom out the reason(s) behind this move - and I'm sure I'm not alone.The 24-year-old has struggled to adapt to the Premier League since arriving from Reggina last July, scoring four goals in 19 league appearances for the Blues.
The Biancocelesti currently lie in 14th place in Serie A just two points above the drop zone, and Bianchi is expected to go straight into their squad for this Sunday’s game against Torino.
When you look back over Bianchi's brief career at the club, it certainly won't be thought of in the same terms as a failure like some other young Italian strikers who have not fared well following the transition from Serie A to Premier League, but there is on overwhelming sense of disappointment or unfullfilment about it.
Despite stories of unimpressive training ground performances, you have to take it at face value I guess and perhaps him not settling (like many Italians before him) in this country is a genuine and plausible reason for his departure. There has been no comment from the club bar the brief release above, and Bianchi has been anything but critical - talking about the club in glowing terms and being thankful for the opportunity he had.
It is all a far cry now from when he arrived as one of the first signings Sven made, and arrived on the back of a good season in Serie A and started well, scoring on his debut at West Ham but he was quickly jettisoned in favour of Emile Mpenza and apart from a brief spell around Christmas, never got back into the team - despite the backing of the fans, but Sven remained resolute that he had a future at the club.
It is clear that he never really found favour with Sven though, and this must be a fact borne out of the continued absence of him in the side, even moreso given the lack of success and options in that department - and he joins an ever growing list of players who have arrived from Serie A with a big reputation and for a variety of reasons have failed in the Premier League.
The only saving grace appears to be th fact that we will recruit virtually all of the near £9 million we paid out to Reggina to sign him in the first place.
But, he has moved on and is his departure perhaps a reason why the Samaras to Birmingham move 'stalled' as Alec McLeish suggested? There have of course been plenty of links to strikers throughout the transfer window today, with strong rumours linking Seville forward Fabiano with a move this morning, only for cold water to be poured on these later in the day, and lets not forget the succesful return of Daniel Sturridge this week from injury, with Hans Backe's comments indicating it may not be long before he features in the side either.