Lucarelli in contract talks

Livorno striker Cristiano Lucarelli is in talks over extending his contract at the club.

The prolific goalscorer, who turns 30 on Tuesday, has been offered a deal that would tie him to the Serie A outfit until 2010.

The former Lecce and Torino hit-man has attracted the attention of many clubs after finishing as Serie A's top scorer last season.

Livorno turned away offers from Tottenham Hotspur and Monaco to keep him at the Armando Picchi and the striker seems set to stay with his hometown club.

Before Sunday's defeat at Fiorentina, Livorno president Aldo Spinelli declared a deal had been reached, but Lucarelli was quick to pour cold water on those suggestions.

"I haven't signed yet," Lucarelli said. "There is a club proposal to extend the deal but I haven't signed again.

"The president isn't a liar, he's only optimistic.

"I think there won't be a problem, it's only missing the signature.

"For me, it would give me great happiness to close my career here."

Despite nearing a new contract, Lucarelli's day in Florence proved disappointing.

The striker was sent off just after quarter hour mark for remarks he made to referee Nicola Ayroldi, though the striker has claimed he did nothing wrong.

"I don't think I said something bad," he added.

"I told the referee in a really calm way - 'It's a scandal not whistling a similar penalty'.

"I'm astonished with his decision to send me off the pitch. It didn't seem to me to be an arrogant way of talking with him.

"I think he misunderstood or he didn't understand my intentions."

Livorno coach Roberto Donadoni was frustrated his side did not perform throughout the entire contest at Fiorentina.

The Viola were three goals up before two late strikes from Livorno made the match interesting.

"We have to have the attitude we have had in the last minutes during the whole match," Donadoni claimed.

"We accept the result because we have to think about the mistakes we made to provoke Fiorentina's goals."