'Genoa nearly signed Lewandowski'

By Football Italia staff

Former Genoa sporting director Stefano Capozucca has confessed that he almost signed Robert Lewandowski in 2010.

Lewandowski was still playing in his native Poland for Lech Poznan at the time, and Capozucca claims he was Genoa’s until President Enrico Preziosi ‘pulled the plug’.

“The deal was done for Lewandowski in 2010,” he told Radio Sportiva.

“[Gian Piero] Gasperini knew him well. He still had to undergo a medical, but then the President pulled the plug.”

The 31-year-old has gone on to become one of the world’s most prolific strikers, scoring 303 goals for Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

The Rossoblu did not make the same mistake several years later, buying Krzysztof Piatek from Cracovia for just €4m in June 2018 before selling him on to Milan for €30m months later.

However, Capozucca did praise Preziosi for signing Diego Milito back in 2004, when he was still playing for Racing Club in Argentina.

“The lad joined Genoa for a couple of lire and became a great champion years later.”

The hitman netted 60 goals for the Rossoblu across two spells, prior to winning the Treble with Inter in 2010.

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