Adriano Up for Grabs: Can Harry or Big Phil Revitalise the Brazilian at Spurs or Chelsea?
There’s been a vast array of strikers being linked to the Premier League in January but only in the past few days have we seen Inter Milan’s forgotten man Adriano Leite Ribeiro mentioned. The 26-year-old Brazilian was rated as one of the best in the world only a few seasons ago but after much controversy, a lack of form and falling out of favour with new coach Jose Mourinho, the striker could be available for a knock-down £7m fee.
He has been reportedly offered as a makeweight in Jose Mourinho’s efforts to sign Didier Drogba from Chelsea but surely this international star would be worthy of a gamble for a number of English clubs. After all, any player who’s scored 27 goals in just 42 internationals for Brazil would surely be an excellent acquisition?
In fact, Adriano has an excellent scoring record throughout his career including Inter despite barely featuring in the last two seasons. The 6 ft 3 Brazilian began his career with Flamengo in his homeland where he scored 7 goals in 19 League appearances before moving to Inter in the summer of 2001. He was loaned out to Fiorentina where he scored 6 goals in 15 League appearances before joining Parma on a 2-year co-ownership deal where he scored a sensational 23 goals in just 37 League appearances. This form prompted his return to Inter on a 4-year contract.
Adriano scored 9 goals in his first 16 league games in the second half of the 2003/04 season. However, it was the next campaign when the Brazilian came to the fore with 16 goals in 30 League appearances (26 starts). Since that peak, his form and attitude has dipped to such an extent that in the last two and a half seasons at the San Siro, the 26-year-old has scored just 7 League goals. Subsequently he was sent out on loan to Sao Paulo despite an overall record of 46 goals in 117 League matches for Inter (88 starts).
Adriano’s return to Brazil was packed with controversy after an on field headbutting incident as well as constant poor timekeeping. However, he did score 6 goals in the club’s 10 Copa Libertadores matches and earnt himself a return to the national team set-up. The Inter striker was singled out as the heir to Ronaldo in the Brazilian set-up but just as with Inter and Sao Paulo, Adriano’s attitude and time-keeping led to a fall-out with the national team coach Carlos Dunga. However, he returned to the squad in May and June after over a year long absence as well as playing and scoring in the recent 6-2 friendly win over Portugal.
It was reported that the striker was offered to Chelsea alongside a transfer fee of £10m for Lampard in the summer which illustrates just how low the Brazilian is now regarded at the San Siro. But surely a player with his standing is worthy of a gamble for numerous Premier League clubs. After all, Adriano has won 2 Brazilian titles, 1 Brazilian Champions Cup, 3 Italian titles, 2 Italian Cups, and 2 Italian Super Cups at club level. He’s also won the FIFA U17 World Cup, the 2004 Copa America and the 2005 Confederations Cup. Individually he was also named the best player and the top scorer at both the Copa America and Confederations Cup.
Adriano was linked to a loan move to West Ham last season as well as Man City but surely now with the players stock has fallen so low, now is the time to sign a proven star on the cheap. He comes with a poor reputation but there are a number of Premier League managers who would surely be able to cope with that side of his personality particularly Harry Redknapp who is reported to be interested in signing the star and has a history of revitalising player’s careers. After all, this Brazilian striker’s record speaks for himself. However, he may well end up at the Bridge with compatriot Luiz Felipe Scolari as part of the deal that takes Drogba to the San Siro.
After 1 goal in 6 League appearances this season (5 starts), it would seem the Brazilian’s days in Serie A are numbered.
So would you like your club to take a gamble on the Brazilian who at 26 surely has a number of years left at the top end of club football? Or do you consider that player a shadow of his former self and not worthy of what could be an expensive risk? Let’s hear your views.
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Tags: Adriano, Brazil, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Tottenham
November 27th, 2008 at 15:34
Well worth £6-7m, Harry will get him buzzing again such as he always does!