Adelaide step up interest in Toni

Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin said the A-League club is “serious” about luring Hellas Verona striker Luca Toni to Australia.

Toni has been linked with a move to Australia when his contract expires at the end of June, and Adelaide have emerged as a possible destination for the 37-year-old Italian.

Speaking with Australian newspaper the Adelaide Advertiser, Griffin revealed Adelaide have asked Toni’s European representatives for more details about what it would take to prise the World Cup winner Down Under.

“If we do something we do it seriously,” Griffin said of Adelaide’s interest in Toni, who would command marquee status in the A-League.

“Basically we’re looking at this situation with Luca Toni seriously. We’re sitting on the whiteboard working out how we can do it.

“The first thing we have to see is whether it can be achieved and then you look at how you fund it, to be blunt.

“We’ve got a huge Italian community here and this is also great for other communities to see a fantastic striker.”

Toni has been in superb form in the Serie A, scoring twice in Verona’s 2-2 draw with Parma on Sunday, taking his tally to 21 goals in 37 games this season.

He is now the leading scorer in Italy’s top flight this term, one ahead of Juventus’ Argentina superstar Carlos Tevez, with one round remaining.