Crewe Alexandra have taken Fulham’s Finnish centre forward Lauri Dalla Valle on a month’s trial.
Should the Finnish under-21 international impress Alex boss Steve Davis he could join the League One side on loan. Dalla Valle signed for Fulham in the same deal that saw Alex Kacaniklic move from Melwood as Paul Konchesky became one of Roy Hodgson’s first Liverpool signings in his ill-fated spell at Anfield, but whilst the Swedish midfielder has quickly established himself as an emerging talent in the first team, Dalla Valle has had to settle for brief opportunities to impress with the Under 21s as well as loan spells at Exeter City, Dundee United and Bournemouth. He has only made two appearances for the first team, both as a substitute against NSI Runavik in Fulham’s first Europa League qualifier in the summer of 2011.
Dalla Valle was watched by Crewe’s assistant manager Neil Baker as Fulham’s Under 21s beat Wolves at Telford on Monday night and, with Alex struggling for striking options following the news that Adam Clayton might be missing for as long as a month, Davis told BBC Radio Stoke that he’s keen to take a closer look at the former Internazionale striker:
They’ve enabled us to look at him first, we haven’t made any decision on whether we’re are keeping him on loan. But he’s got that opportunity if he does well over the next few weeks.
It’s a no-brainer really, he’s a lad that’s got something – he’s a 21-year-old with some experience, and he has scored some goals. He’s a good lad, speaks very good English and very excited about the prospect here.
Fulham have given Dalla Valle permission to train with Crewe and he will get his first chance to impress for their under-21 side against Huddersfield Town next Wednesday night.
