On Sunday when Parma travel to Lazio for their Serie A clash, there will be a few extra English eyes paying attention to the game. In recent days and hours, Chelsea have linked with a player who, this season, has finally started to become the player many expected him to.

Having signed for Juventus as a youngster in a blaze of media excitement and general hyperbole, it has taken Sebastian Giovinco time to move away from the huge shadow that was cast over him as a young player and become his own man. Now 24, the apparent interest from Andre Villas-Boas is testament to just how good he has been. The diminutive forward has arguably been the most in-form player in Italy so far this season.

Giovinco’s career has not always gone so according to plan however. The player who was dubbed the “new Alessandro Del Piero” when he first burst into the Juventus side has often fallen short of living up to the, admittedly high, expectation. In 2008 Giovinco signed a long–term deal with the club, in the very same restaurant that Del Piero put pen to paper. There stood was The Old Lady’s new hero, the replacement for Del Piero’s creaking legs and iconic shirt.

The problem for Giovinco, however, was that Juventus may have been ready for a new hero, but Del Piero wasn’t. Playing time was often limited with Del Piero occupying the number ten position and Giovinco struggled with being a peripheral feature. Once Ciro Ferrara bought in Diego for around €25 million, Giovinco was pushed even further from the place in the side that he wanted to play. The young pretender was forced out wide onto the flank and eventually, to move on from the club.

A loan move at Empoli brought some impressive goals and performances but proved to far from a complete turnaround in Sebastian’s fortunes. Empoli were relegated and once again Giovinco was forced to find a new club.He was loaned to Parma, a move that was made permanent this season and early signs suggest this might finally be home for the 5’4″ playmaker.

At Parma he finally has the coveted number ten shirt that he has always felt belonged to him on his back. Despite the presence of Hernan Crespo it is clear that at Parma, Giovinco is the fulcrum to their attack. In their recent 2-1 win over Napoli, Sebastian was, as one Napoli fan put it “a pain in the arse”. His movement with and without the ball, quality of passing and willingness to go and get possesion caused the Champions League many problems and it was fitting that he set-up Francesco Modesto to score the winner.

This season Giovinco has excelled as the axis in Parma’s attacking play. Instrumental in some of Parma’s victories so far this season, his impact has diminished in the big games. For Giovinco to really become the player he has always been heralded to become, he must make his mark in those crucial big games. A big performance or a vital goal in Rome this weekend and the talk of Giovinco plying his trade for Chelsea will increase. He’ll be well on his way to becoming not just Italian football’s latest star, but he could be a contender for it’s next icon.

Photo courtesy of fcparmatv.