Tanner Tessmann looks like he’ll need to find a new club as soon as possible.
After multiple failed transfers this summer, Venezia sporting director Filippo Antonelli has declared that the American midfielder is no longer part of the club’s project.
Tessmann was one of Venezia’s top performers last season, helping the club secure promotion to Serie A. But rather than staying put as the club moves to the Italian top flight, the 22-year-old has instead been looking for a way out.
The ex-FC Dallas midfielder has been close to joining both Inter and Fiorentina, but the transfers have each collapsed at the final hurdle. Reportedly, the exorbitant demands of Tessmamn’s agents has been at least partially to blame for both transfers falling through.
As Venezia gets ready for its first Serie A game on Sunday against Lazio, Antonelli told Il Gazzettino that the club isn’t able to count on a player who so clearly wants to leave.
“Tessmann is out of our project at Venezia,” Antonelli said.
“It has been a difficult week, try to understand me here. I am above all sorry for the player, as he put himself into this situation. At this moment, he is off the list of players at the disposal of coach Eusebio Di Francesco, but that is his decision and does not depend on us.
“He continues to train with the rest of the squad, but his mind at this moment is just not there. Our approach to Serie A has not changed, we prefer to have players who are strongly motivated to play with the Venezia jersey and fully committed to our project, otherwise it’s better to get someone else.”
The transfer window will be open for another two weeks, with La Stampa reporting this week that Torino, coached by former Venezia manager Paolo Vanoli, could be a possible destination.
If Tessmann isn’t able to find a new home by the end of August, Antonelli wouldn’t rule out the possibility of his reintegration into the team. But he made it clear that the Olympian’s attitude would have to change.
“We’ll see, anything is possible,” he said. “If the transfer window closes and Venezia is the only remaining option, then we’d have to evaluate what to do, but he would need to roll his sleeves up and get back with a completely different attitude.”
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