Gianluca Frabotta ready to settle at West Brom after "difficult" Juventus years
New Albion recruit Gianluca Frabotta is determined to be a part of the "long-term project" at The Hawthorns after agreeing a three-year deal.
The left-back checked in from Juventus on a three-year contract after a series of five loans away from the Italian giants.
Frabotta, 25, admitted the last few years have been challenging as he failed to find regular first-team football in Turin and is motivated to make up for lost time.
Rome-born Frabotta had a move to Queens Park Rangers, Saturday's opening-day hosts, lined up but Carlos Corberan and the Baggies stole a march on his signature and despite two years left on the Italian's Juventus contract Albion completed a permanent deal.
“West Bromwich Albion was an attractive option for me because I know this is a great club with a great history," Frabotta said.
“It’s a dream for me to play in England and experience the football here.
“I’ve had a difficult few years because I have had to go out on loan a few times. I want to be part of a long-term project and I am very motivated for this.”
Frabotta's formative years were with Bologna, from ages 16 to 20, the Italian outfit where Baggies owner Shilen Patel holds a minority share.
He moved to Juventus as part of the club's under-23 squad in 2019 and made his senior debut for the Old Lady in August 2020.
The left-back was a regular feature in the 2020/21 lockdown season and made 15 appearances in Serie A, as well as an outing in the Champions League. In total he scored once in 18 first-team games for Juve.
More recently it has been loan spells away, at Verona and Lecce in the top flight – only playing with the former – before stints in Serie B with Frosinone and Bari and Cosenza last season. He chalked up 22 league appearances in each of the last two campaigns, as well as netting three times for Cosenza.
Albion boss Corberan is pleased to have replaced Conor Townsend in his squad after the Albion stalwart last week left the club in a £750,000 move to Premier League new-boys Ipswich Town.
The Baggies' senior first-team ranks otherwise lacked a natural left-back. Summer recruit Torbjorn Heggem played there and did well despite the heavy loss at Blues on Saturday but is a centre-back by trade.
Corberan said: “We are delighted to welcome Gianluca into our squad. He’s a specific left-back, which is a position we needed to fill, and he has a great attitude.
“He’s also a good age and we believe he still has the potential to improve in his time here.”
