Arturo Lupoli

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Personal information
Arturo Lupoli

Date of birth	June 24, 1987 (age 19)
Place of birth	Brescia, Italy
Height	1.73m (5 ft 8 in)
Nickname	The Wolf/Wolfman
Position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Derby County (on loan from Arsenal)
Number	16
Youth clubs
?-2004 2004-05	Parma Arsenal
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
2005- 2006-	Arsenal → Derby County (loan)	01 (0) 17 (6)
National team**
2003 2003-2004 2005 2005 2006	Italy U-16 Italy U-17 Italy U-18 Italy U-19 Italy U-21	09 (11) 10 (4) 02 (1) 06 (0) 01 (1)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:31, 7 December 2006 (UTC). ** National team caps and goals correct as of June 2006.

Arturo Lupoli (born June 24, 1987 in Brescia, Italy) is an Italian footballer who currently plays for Derby County (on loan from English Premier League club Arsenal) as a forward.

[edit] Club Career

Lupoli began his footballing career as a youth with Italian side Parma. He was one of the best youngsters at Parma, and during his Allievi (Under-17) season he scored 45 goals in 22 games, which is one of the best tallies ever in Italian youth history. However, by mid-2004 his contract had expired. Achieving an Arsenal contract by way of a scholarship, the Gunners repaid Parma with a 200,000 pound compensation sum.

His debut appearance in the Arsenal first-team was in a match against Manchester City in the Carling Cup on October 27, 2004. His next match, against Everton in the same competition, brought him his first goals for the club, two of Arsenal's three goals in the 3-1 victory on November 9. He also played in the match against Manchester United which saw Arsenal's exit from the competition after a 20-second goal from David Bellion. He was Arsenal's top scorer at youth/reserve level in 2004-05, with 27 goals in 32 appearances.

At the start of the 2005-06 season, it was rumoured Lupoli would be loaned to Ipswich Town, although Blues manager Joe Royle later ruled out any such move. He remained at Arsenal, and although a reserve player, figured in the Gunners' 2005-06 Carling Cup campaign. He continued to score prolifically at youth/reserve level.

In the 2005-06 Carling Cup, Lupoli won the Carling Cup New Talent Award. He won this honour over best friend, and former teammate, young Manchester United starlet Giuseppe Rossi. Other contenders for this award were Steven Davis (Aston Villa), Charles N'Zogbia (Newcastle United), Jerome Thomas (Charlton Athletic) and Ben Watson (Crystal Palace).

Lupoli moved to Derby County on a season-long loan on August 18, 2006, and played in the 0-0 draw at home to Norwich City the following day.He then got a brace against Colchester United in a game which Derby lost 4-3.

Lupoli was called up for the Italy U20 NT for the first time. In December 2006, he was also selected by Pierluigi Casiraghi for a U-21 friendly match against Luxembourg, in which he also scored a debut goal.[1] The Wolfman has got a bright future in the game and his form so far this season for Derby has been noticed. He now has 7 goals in all competitions.