Gianluigi Lentini

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Gianluigi Lentini
Personal information
Full name Gianluigi Lentini
Date of birth March 27, 1969 (1969-03-27) (age 39)
Place of birth    Carmagnola, Italy
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Playing position Attacking midfielder/right winger
Club information
Current club Retired
Youth clubs
1985-1986 Torino
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1986-1988
1988-1989
1989-1992
1992-1996
1996-1997
1997-2001
2001-2004
2004-2007		 Torino
Ancona
Torino
AC Milan
Atalanta
Torino
Cosenza
Canelli		 22 (0)
37 (4)
89 (16)
60 (13)
31 (4)
93 (10)
70 (6)
? (?)   
National team2
1991-1993 Italy 13 (0)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 2005.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 2005.
* Appearances (Goals)

Gianluigi Lentini (born March 27, 1969 in Carmagnola) is a former Italian international winger who once held the distinction of being the world's most expensive footballer, when he moved from Torino to AC Milan for £13 million in 1992. He was a very talented midfielder/winger with electrifying on and of the ball speed, creativity, superb crosses and short passes, top dribbling, top shot and superb technique.

Indeed, it was this fee - which arose due to a bidding war between Milan and Juventus after his great performances for Torino - that partially triggered a wave of huge spending amongst Europe's top clubs in the 1990s. At the time, the world was staggered that so much money could be paid for one footballer - the Vatican called it "an offence against the dignity of work". After this he was a key player in AC Milan's Scudetto winning season. Sadly, after a horrific car accident in 1993, which left him briefly in a coma and with serious head injuries, his career languished. However, Lentini's goal-scoring record of a goal approximately every seven games is considered above average by Italian standards considering his position of winger.

He played 30 times in Milan's title-winning season (1992-93), but managed only 33 games for the club the next four seasons due to ongoing effects of the car crash.

Lentini went on to have a brief spell at Atalanta on loan in 1996, before returning to Torino for a more modest transfer fee of £2 million in 1997. He then joined Cosenza, where he played until 2004.

His phenomenal 1992 transfer fee was only eclipsed four years later, when Alan Shearer moved from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United for £15 million.

Lentini played football for Canelli (Serie D/A), and his salary was around £1700 (€2500) per month. He signed in 2004, when the team was playing regional Eccellenza league. He retired in 2007.

[edit] Honours