In the second of our profiles on this season's Barclays Premier League signings, premierleague.com casts a quick glance over Liverpool's spry Italian striker.
Fabio Borini
Club: Liverpool
Nationality: Italian
Position: Forward
DOB: 29/03/91
Age: 21
Height: 5ft 11in
Squad No: 29
Transfer fee: Undisclosed
Fantasy Premier League transfer fee: £8m
Contracted: Long term
Previous clubs: Bologna (2001-07), Chelsea (2007-09; loaned to Swansea 2011), Parma 2011-12; loaned to Roma 2011/12).
League appearances: 3 (Premier League); 9 (Championship); 24 (Serie A)
League goals: 6 (Championship); 9 (Serie A)
International appearances: 1
International goals: 0
Honours: 2010/11 Championship play-off winner
Nickname: Nascar
Profile: A fleet-footed forward who can play centrally and on the flanks, Borini has already played in the Barclays Premier League, albeit in a cameo role during a brief spell at Chelsea. After honing his craft under Brendan Rodgers at Swansea, Borini impressed on loan at Roma, excelling in the second half of last season and earning a call-up to the Italy squad that reached the UEFA EURO 2012 final. Though Borini saw no action in Poland and Ukraine, he is a streaky striker with such potential Rodgers insisted on making him his first signing for Liverpool.
He says: "I don't like doing anything the easy way. If you take the safe option you'll never get the best out of yourself."
They say: "He's technically strong, he's a good finisher with both feet, he can play central or on the sides in a 4-3-3 up front, he's quick, and he's tactically very good."
(Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool manager)
Interesting stat: Scored six goals in 12 matches during a loan spell at Swansea.
Did you know? Borini celebrates his goals by putting his flattened hand in his mouth as though he has a knife between his teeth (see photo gallery above); a sign that he is a gritty competitor who never gives up.
New player factfile #1: Marko Marin
