Fiorentina’s Pantaleo Corvino blasts Manchester United for poaching teenager Pierluigi Gollini

Pantaleo Corvino, Fiorentina (Foto Grazia Neri)

Related Links

Teams

Fiorentina have blasted Manchester United after losing another one of their youth players, Pierluigi Gollini, to the Premier League giants.

Sporting director Pantaleo Corvino has accused big clubs in England of creating “false illusions” for Italian youngsters to lure them over to Britain at a young age.

His comments come after Gollini, an Italy under-17 international goalkeeper, announced he was moving to Old Trafford on Thursday, and on the same day United chief David Gill said his club were “victimised”.

A statement on the Serie A club’s official website reads:”Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo Corvino has taken into consideration the comments made by player Pierluigi Gollini and is surprised by his decision.

“He takes the opportunity to thank players Niccolo Fazzi, Saverio Madrigali, Leonardo Capezzi, Federico Bernardeschi and Luca Lezzerini, who have decided to remain with the Viola club, not being lured by false illusions of English sirens in recent days.

“Of the 150 players that have decided to go abroad, no one has been able to earn a place in the first team.”

Gollini is the latest Italian youngster to move to Manchester United following the recruitment of Alberto Massacci and David Petrucci.

Former Lazio man Federico Macheda also joined United in 2007 as a 16-year-old, while another Fiorentina youngster, defender Michele Fornasier, moved to Old Trafford in 2009.