US midfielder eyes Everton move

By Clive Lindsay

Szetela scored three goals for the USA at the Under-20 World Cup

Columbus Crew midfielder Danny Szetela craves a second chance with Everton but appears more likely to be heading for Italian football.

The USA Under-20 international rejected a move to Goodison as a 16-year-old.

Agent Shep Messing told BBC Sport: "Everton are probably his preferred destination, while Middlesbrough and Reading are also interested.

"But there's more interest from Serie A and we're closer to doing something in Italy, possibly in the next two weeks."

Lazio, Parma, Roma and Siena have all been in touch about a player who would be available for a small compensation fee of about £25,000 as his contract ends in December.

He could yet remain in the MLS with Columbus, but the 20-year-old's Polish parentage means an EU passport would ease his passage across the Atlantic.

Szetela returned to action after almost a year out through injury to score three times in five games for the USA in this summer's Under-20 World Cup in Canada.

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Reports have suggested that those performances have also led to interest from Rangers, Galatasaray and Swiss outfit Sion.

"The UK would be his preference should he leave the US because of the English language," said Messing.

"So Rangers would be good, but I have heard nothing from them.

"He had the chance to go to Everton when he was 16, but he felt he was too young to leave his family and decided on the MLS.

"However, he was impressed by the club and the people there."