FORMER Southampton striker Dani Osvaldo is set for a sensational return to football.
The 30-year-old retired from the Beautiful Game in 2016 to become a rock musician.
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But he is ready to answer the call of a real legend of the game – Diego Maradona.
The equally charismatic Maradona is the new manager of Gimnasia La Plata.
And according to Italian news feed ANSA, Osvaldo is ready to plug the gap after a striker injury crisis at the Argentinian outfit.
Osvaldo became Southampton’s record signing in 2013 when he joined for £15million from Roma where he scored goals for fun.
COURTED CONTROVERSY
But his time on the south coast was less prolific, and his time at the club came to a messy end.
He was involved in a training ground bust-up with team-mate Jose Fonte, the latter uploading photos at the time of a black eye.
Osvaldo was shipped out on loan, first to Juventus, then to Inter Milan and finally to Boca Juniors.
Inter decided against a move for the striker after he had an on-field row with Mauro Icardi over a pass.
He eventually joined Porto on a free transfer in 2015 before returning to Boca.
But not before some more controversy.
The Argentinian club were keen to get rid of the player after then-manager Guillermo Barros Schelotto caught him smoking in the dressing rooms.
But his time in football didn’t last much longer, and in August 2016 he announced he was retiring to pursue a career in music.
But the lure of working with fellow headline-maker Maradona may have tempted Osvaldo to end his football exile.
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