New club Western United adds another piece to jigsaw puzzle with Alessandro Diamanti signature

Heavily tattooed signing Alessandro Diamanti, who has a penchant for landing long-range bombs with his dangerous left foot, could be the just what A-League expansion club Western United needs.

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Update: Dynamic ex-Italy international Alessandro Diamanti will be unveiled by A-League expansion club Western United by the end of the week.

It is understood that Diamanti, 36, will undergo a medical this week before being announced as Western United’s latest signing.

Diamanti, who won 17 Italy caps and featured at Euro 2012, is one of the last albeit crucial additions to United coach Mark Rudan’s squad.

Western United has signed Alessandro Diamani from Italian Serie B club Livorno. Picture: Getty Images

He has spent last season with Livorno in Serie B and has previously played for West Ham, Brescia and Bologno, who he captained, Guangzhou Evergrande, Fiorentina and Palermo.

Diamanti, 36, has a dangerous left foot capable of scoring long-range bombs and delivering dangerous set pieces.

Diamanti almost joined Melbourne Victory three years ago before Football Federation Australia rejected its attempts to secure “guest marquee” funding in the same season that Tim Cahill signed for Melbourne City.

Western United has not asked FFA for a subsidy and it is understood will fully finance the deal, with Diamanti set to be the second “designated player” alongside ex-Greece international Panagiotis Kone.

Alessandro Diamanti in Asian Champions League action against Western Sydney Wanderers. Picture: Mark Evans

United officials remained tight-lipped, although Italian sources have indicated that the deal is sealed.

“We’re looking at a lot of players, we’re in no rush to make a decision. It needs to be the right fit,” a Western United official said.

United had targeted a host of high-profile signings, including Samir Nasri, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery and Lukas Podolski.

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It was also close to signing former Hamburg, PSV and Sweden international striker Marcus Berg, until FFA rejected United’s request for guest marquee funding.

But Western United coach Mark Rudan has landed one of the key pieces of his squad jigsaw puzzle less than three months out from its first game.

United started pre-season training last week with the bulk of the squad signed.

Diamanti has spent the past two seasons in Serie B and last season enjoyed a stellar return of 10 goals and seven assists for Livorno.

He has scored 110 goals in 500-plus appearances.

Diamanti is likely to fill the No. 10 attacking midfield position, but can be deployed on either wing and even upfront.

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Alessandro Diamanti celebrates Italy’s victory at the end of the penalty shootout in the 2012 Euro championships quarter-final against England.

A DIAMOND SIGNING

Alessandro Diamanti

Age: 36

CLUB CV

Livorno (2007-10), West Ham (2009-11), Brescia (2010-11), Bologna (2011-14), Guangzhou Evergrande (2014), Fiorentina (2014-15), Watford (2015-16), Atalanta (2015-16), Palermo (2016-17), Perugia (2017-18), Livorno (2018-19)

NATIONAL TEAM

Italy (2010-13): 17 caps, 1 goal