Aquilani - I can still play for Italy at Euro 2016

The 30-year-old midfielder is a free agent but remains hopeful he can represent his country in France next summer

Alberto Aquilani has denied suggestions that his wage demands are preventing him finding a new club – and is confident he can still play his way into Italy’s squad for Euro 2016.
The 30-year-old is currently without an employer following the expiration of his contract with Fiorentina last month but has been training with a personal trainer in a bid to keep fit.
Indeed, Aquilani is still holding out hope that he can star for the Azzurri in France next summer, should Antonio Conte’s side qualify.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I’m fine. I’m keeping fit by training every day with my physio. It’s not true that I am asking for too much money.
"I have earned enough in the past few years and I’m smart enough to know that I can’t ask that much anymore.
“I’m open to every suggestion, in Italy and abroad. I need a club that believes in me, gets me involved and gives me satisfaction.
“But I’m convinced that if I find the right situation, I could still play my way into contention for Euro 2016. Conte and I have a mutual respect, so why shouldn’t I still believe in this?”
Having made his name at Roma, Aquilani made a £20million (€28m) move to Liverpool in 2009 but struggled to adapt to life in England.

A subsequent loan spell at Juventus failed to result in a permanent move, while a similar deal at AC Milan was disrupted by injury.
Fiorentina finally took him back to Italy on a permanent basis in 2012 but he did not do enough to earn a new deal.
Despite a mixed career, Aquilani insists that he made the right choice in joining Liverpool, even though the move appeared to prompt a downturn in his fortunes.
The midfielder added: “I have no regrets about Liverpool, I would choose it again. Probably some of the subsequent choices weren’t so smart though. For example, I went on loan to Juventus but their buying option was too high. If it was lower perhaps I would have stayed in that fantastic group, who knows. Some of my team-mates that season performed worse than me but stayed.
“When I played for Milan, there was an informal clause: if I played 25 games, the club would sign me permanently. It was not an obligation but a gentleman’s agreement. At the end of December I had already played 18 games. Then I got injured and [Adriano] Galliani was very clear: they weren’t keen to sign me at the fee Liverpool were asking. So I ended on 23 games.”