Leicester City and Crystal Palace target Alessandro Cannataro: 'Premier League way of playing and training would be perfect for me'

Foxes remain in pole-position to sign the former Inter Milan star, but face competition from two Premier League rivals

Samuel Stevens,Emanuele Giulianelli
Wednesday 05 August 2015 13:04 EDT
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Former Inter Milan midfielder Alessandro Cannataro says he is 'evaluating' offers from a host of Premier League clubs after completing a short trail with Leicester City.

The Foxes remain favourites to sign the 20-year-old, with Cannataro praising the 'nice people and great time' he enjoyed while training with Claudio Ranieri's squad, but Crystal Palace and Watford are rumoured to be ready to strike if talks break down.

Free-agent Cannataro, whose contract with the San Siro club was terminated this summer, told The Independent: "At the moment I’m in London and soon I will be back to Italy to take up all my things and arrange my future transfer.

"I’m talking even with some other teams, since I came to England a lot of teams started to show interest in me, they discovered me.

"They [Leicester] were satisfied from my trial and offered me a contract to play for them. But I still can’t tell anything about my next decision.

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri (Getty)

"I have been contacted from Qatar, but I refused because I want to play in a top league, two teams in France and one in the MLS also, but I don’t consider this last options.

"I’m thinking about which offer is the best for me, to grow up as a player and to be fulfilled at high levels. This is my project."

Asked whether the Italian connection with Ranieri was behind his trial at Leicester's Belvoir Drive training complex, Cannataro denied the speculation before giving a glowing reference of his prospective manager.

"No, it wasn’t him to call me there. But I spent a great time with him; he is a nice man, a man of football. I don’t know him well personally, so I can’t judge him more than this.

Leicester have already signed N'Golo Kante in midfield
Leicester have already signed N'Golo Kante in midfield (Getty)

"An Italian agent living in London found me the chance to try with Leicester and I accepted immediately. It has been great [at Leicester], I found a lot of nice people and I have had a great time."

Cannataro says he is now taking some time out with his family before making his final decision, under the guidance of his agent, but admits he has his heart set on the Premier League.

"The way of playing and of training [in England] would be perfect for me. They always give 100%, always concentrated and give their best in every match. This is what suits me best."

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