Ghana captain Stephen Appiah is aiding his search for a club by applying for an Italian passport. The Italian press reported some three months ago that he quest to play for AC Milan was thwarted by the huge number of foreigners at the Serie A giants. Appiah's acquisition of the European passport will make it easier for clubs in the country and other parts of Europe to seal a deal for him.

After being resident in the country for ten years he is now qualified to apply for the Italian passport, according to his agent Luca Pagani. "It's true," Pagani told Itasportpress . "In the next few days he will submit an application to obtain Italian citizenship as he has been a resident in this country for more than 10 years. “Hopefully by next April, Stephen will essentially be Italian."

Appiah arrived in Italy in 1997 to play for Udinese and after spedinging three illustrious years at the club he was snapped up by Parma . He spent one year on loan with Brescia before clinching a big-money move Juventus where he won the league title and the Italian Super Cup.

Appiah was then shipped off the Fenerbahce where he helped the club to win several laurel but he fell out with the club over a botched knee operation. He has been without a club since last summer but he has recently been linked with moves to Catania . His agent is adamant about releasing information about his likely moves as similar deals failed to materialize in the recent past. "Are there negotiations under way? He would gladly go to Catania , but I don't want to talk about a transfer at the moment because, as has happened in the past, one is likely to say something incorrect or maybe announce negotiations which then come to nothing."