It appears that George Burley's Italian target was another goalkeeper, Sampdoria's Matteo Sereni. Burley hinted that his weekend scouting trip was to Italy and it seems that the Sampdoria-Cittadella Coppa Italia game was the match he watched with Samp winning 2-0.

Burley returned today having been quoted a price of £4.5 million by the Serie B side, more than he was expecting to pay for the 25-year-old.

Sereni has been at Sampdoria since 1995, although he spent the 1998/99 season with Empoli. Previously he played with Crevalcore.

With two goalkeeping targets now clearly in George Burley's sights, Town could well find themselves with a new man between the sticks when they line up at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

We've set up a Town Topic on Mart Poom entitled Poom Town Chat. Do you think Poom is the right man to take over from Richard Wright? Feel free to add any views you have on Sereni too, click the link on the board: http://www.twtd.co.uk/messages

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