• Italian joins Roma on loan
• Striker fell out with coach Louis van Gaal
West Ham’s faint hopes of signing Luca Toni have ended after the Italian striker joined Roma on loan until the end of June. The 32-year-old is surplus to requirements at Bayern Munich after falling out with coach Louis van Gaal.
“In a discussion Luca Toni asked the board of Bayern Munich to loan him out to Roma until the end of the season for personal reasons,” said a statement on Bayern’s website. “He wants, through regular games in Serie A, to still realise his main goal of taking part in the 2010 World Cup with the Italian national team.”
Toni, 32, joined Bayern from Fiorentina in 2007 and impressed in his first two seasons with the club.
He has started just three Bundesliga games this term, however, and was fined by the club in November for leaving the stadium at half-time in their 1-1 draw with Schalke after being substituted by Van Gaal.
Bayern MunichWest Ham UnitedRomaguardian.co.uk
