Arturo Lupoli

Arturo Lupoli (born 24 June 1987 in Brescia, Italy) is an Italian footballer who plays as a forward, currently for Norwich City F.C. on loan from ACF Fiorentina. His former clubs include Parma F.C., Arsenal F.C. and Derby County, where he spent the 2006-07 season on loan.

Club career

Parma

Original of Frattamaggiore, Lupoli began his footballing career as a youth with Italian side Parma A.C.. During his Allievi (Under-17) season he scored 45 goals in 22 games, one of the best tallies ever recorded in Italian youth history. However, by mid-2004 his contract had expired. Lupoli signed an Arsenal F.C contract by way of a scholarship, the Gunners repaid Parma with £200,000 compensation.

Arsenal

Lupoli's debut in the Arsenal first-team was in a match against Manchester City F.C. in the Football League Cup on 27 October 2004. His next match, against Everton F.C. in the same competition, brought him his first goals for the club, two of Arsenal's three goals in the 3-1 victory on 9 November. He also played in the match against Manchester United F.C. which saw Arsenal's exit from the competition after a 20th second goal from David Bellion. He was Arsenal's top scorer at youth/reserve level in 2004-05 in English football, with 27 goals in 32 appearances.

Lupoli scored prolifically at youth/reserve team level during the 2005-06 in English football season. He also figured in the Gunners' 2005-06 League Cup campaign, winning the Carling Cup New Talent Award.

Lupoli moved to Derby County F.C. on a season-long loan on August 18 2006, and debuted for Derby in the 0-0 draw at home to Norwich City F.C. the following day. He then got a brace against Colchester United F.C. in a game which Derby lost 4-3. On January 6 2007, Lupoli scored Derby County's first hat-trick for over a decade in a 3-1 victory third round FA Cup tie against Wrexham F.C..

Lupoli was linked with a transfer to either of the two Milan based football giants; A.C. Milan and Inter Milan. However, Pierpaolo Marino, General Manager of SSC Napoli, announced he had Lupoli's word he'd come to Napoli when his contract with Arsenal had expired, since it was his dream to play for his home city club. Despite this, on February 26 2007, Lupoli signed a pre-contract with ACF Fiorentina. Lupoli stressed, however, that he would do his absolute best for Derby for the remainder of the season, and in his first match for Derby after confirming the Fiorentina move, scored a goal and provided an assist.

Fiorentina

Lupoli finally completed his move to ACF Fiorentina on 1 July 2007, signing a five-year deal with the Viola in a free transfer. He is however yet to make his debut with the Tuscan side after joining Treviso F.B.C. 1993 on loan for a period.

On 22 July 2008, Lupoli moved to English Football League Championship side Norwich City F.C. on loan for the The Football League 2008-09 season. Manager Glenn Roeder connections with Arsène Wenger are believed to have been behind the club's interest in the player.

Norwich

Following the finalisation of his loan move to the Canaries, Arturo told the club's official website "I am very happy to be here and hope to contribute for a great season for Norwich City and to be successful. I spoke to the Manager and I really feel that he wants me here. I know a lot about Norwich City - I was with Arsenal F.C. when they and my teammate David Bentley were in the Premier League and have followed their progress."

He took the squad number 18, and made his competitive debut for the club against Coventry City F.C. in a 2–0 loss. His first goals for the club came on 23 August 2008 versus
Cardiff City F.C. at Ninian Park, as Norwich came from two goals behind to draw 2–2, Lupoli scoring both late on.