Parma Serie-A bound, but in battle to keep teenage ace

Parma look to be heading back to Serie A following Tuesday’s 2-0 home win over Ascoli that left them with a six point lead over third placed Livorno with seven Serie B games to play.

The top two in Serie B earn automatic promotion while the next four teams play off for the final place in Serie A.

However Parma may soon pay a price for their success, with young striker Alberto Paloschi now firmly in the shop window.

Parma are hoping to hold onto the teenager they signed from AC Milan before the season began but whom they only part-own in conjunction with his previous club.

“Right now it’s difficult to talk about transfers because we’re only thinking about promotion, but we’ll fight to the end to keep hold of Paloschi,” said Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi.

Paloschi scored his 10th league goal of the season in the win over Ascoli and he has had a largely successful first full season following some cameo appearances for Milan during the second half of last season.

“Paloschi is half ours and half Milan’s. I can assure you it will be a huge battle (to keep hold of him) and we won’t let up,” added Ghirardi.

It’s not just Milan or other Serie A sides who have been running the rule over Parma’s top players as scouts from Arsenal and Everton were also in the stands on Tuesday night.

“I’m happy that Parma are already at the centre of attention with regards the transfer market but we’ll only think about these things at the end of the season. There’s still time,” concluded Ghirardi.