Serie B giants Spezia have the announced the signing of Italian striker Alberto Gilardino.
The 35-year-old, who had been without a club since being released from Pescara, will don the No. 10 for his new side, and has become the first World Cup winner to ever represent the club.
A statement on the club official website read: “Spezia Calcio reports that they have made a deal with Alberto Gilardino, who was released from his last experience in Serie A with the shirt in Pescara, who will wear the No. 10 jersey in his new adventure at the Gulf of Poets.
#SpeziaCalcio #SerieB #LNPB – Ufficiale l'arrivo in maglia bianca di #AlbertoGilardino ??⚽?️?⚽?? https://t.co/vnZRg8CdNr
— Spezia Calcio (@acspezia) October 3, 2017
“An exciting career for the first world champion in the history of the white club that this afternoon will join the squad of Mr. Gallo, ready to “play the violin” under the Curva Ferrovia, as he did over 220 times in his career !!!”
The Italian World Cup winner was reported as being a target for Crystal Palace, who recently lost Christian Benteke to injury and expect him to be out for at least six weeks.
The Eagles new boss Roy Hodgson is said to have looked to the free agent pile in a bid to solve his side goal-scoring problem. Palace have played seven Premier League games without scoring a single goal, while conceding 17 goals this season.
As things stand, Crystal Palace are the only club in the top nine levels of the English football pyramid to have both no league goals and they sit 20th on the ranking table.
Gilardino, having won the World Cup and the Champions League, presented an experienced option with a bit of prestige as well. But they will have to look elsewhere now that the player has found himself a new home.
The Eagles will be back in action in the Premier League when they take on Chelsea at home on 14 October.