Alessandro Diamanti

In the process, Diamanti became the 800th player in West Ham United's history.

Alessandro Diamanti ( born 2 May 1983) is an Italian professional football manager and former midfielder who is currently the manager for Melbourne City F.C. Youth.

In a professional career spanning 24 years, he has played for Prato, Empoli, Fucecchio, Fiorentina, AlbinoLeffe, West Ham United, Brescia, Bologna, Guangzhou Evergrande, Watford, Atalanta, Palermo, Perugia, Livorno, and Western United

Having scored 15 goals in 31 outings during the 2006–07 season, Diamanti signed for Serie A side Livorno.

He made 14 starts and 12 substitute appearances in his first season with the Tuscany side.

He stayed with Livorno when they were relegated to Serie B due to finishing last in the 2007–08 Serie A.

On 23 August 2009, Diamanti played in Livorno's opening day fixture in Serie A, a 0–0 home draw against Cagliari.

The following week, however, Diamanti signed a five-year deal with Premier League club West Ham United for an undisclosed fee.

He made his debut in the Hammers' 1–0 defeat away to Wigan Athletic on 12 September.

He scored his first West Ham goal from the penalty spot, albeit controversially as he fell over on run up and kicked the ball with both feet, on his home debut against Liverpool on 19 September 2009.

Diamanti scored eight goals, though only three came from open play with most coming from penalty kicks.

On 4 May 2010, he was voted runner-up as Hammer of the Year by the club's supporters, for the 2009–10 season, behind winner Scott Parker.

On 24 August 2010, Serie A club Brescia bought Diamanti for €2.2 million from West Ham with an additional €300,000 to be paid if Brescia secured their Serie A status for the coming campaign.

Brescia also announced in its financial report that Diamanti had cost the club €3.85 million.

Alessandro was unveiled at Brescia on 25 August 2010 and chose to continue wearing the number 32 shirt.

Due to his popularity, ability and playing style, comparisons were drawn between Diamanti and former club icon Roberto Baggio, which Diamanti played down, however.

In his debut season at Brescia, Diamanti scored six Serie A goals, behind only Andrea Caracciolo as the club's top scorer for the domestic season.

Diamanti's sixth goal came in a 2–1 loss against Catania which confirmed Brescia's relegation to Serie B, just one season after promotion to the top-flight.

In July 2011, West Ham called for Diamanti's registration at Brescia to be suspended by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) claiming the latest instalment of his €2.2 million transfer fee from Brescia had not yet been paid.

On 1 August 2011, Diamanti was signed by Serie A side Bologna in a co-ownership deal with Brescia, for €1.5 million.

Diamanti's first goal for the club came in a 3–1 home defeat to Internazionale on 24 September.

On 11 December, Bologna played host to Inter's cross–city rivals Milan; Diamanti played inspired football and provided an assist for Marco Di Vaio's opening goal and then netted a 73rd-minute goal to earn his side a 2–2 draw.

At international level, he represented Italy at UEFA Euro 2012, winning a runners-up medal, and at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, winning a bronze medal.

Diamanti then took up his first coaching position where he remains today, as senior academy manager at Australian club Melbourne City, leading the NPL2 team and assisting the first team coaching staff as required.

Diamanti spent his early career with Prato, Empoli, Florentia and AlbinoLeffe.

Diamanti scored the winning goal of a 3–1 away victory over Lazio on 11 March 2012 with a 30-yard strike over out-of-position goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.

On 12 April, Diamanti scored an incredible free-kick against Cagliari to move his side up to 40 points and six points clear of the relegation zone.

On 16 September 2012, Diamanti scored in between strikes from Alberto Gilardino to help Bologna to a 3–2 comeback victory over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

During the 2012–13 Serie A season, Diamanti was the most fouled player in Serie A, having been fouled 147 times.

On 7 February 2014, Bologna and Guangzhou Evergrande officially announced an agreement over transferring Diamanti to Guangzhou Evergrande with a transfer fee of €6.9 million.

He made his debut appearance for Guangzhou in a 4–2 win over Melbourne Victory on 26 February 2014 in the first group match of the 2014 Asian Champions League.

He scored twice to change the course of the match after Guangzhou lagged 2–0 in the first half.

He made his CSL debut at the CSL's opening match at Tianhe Stadium on 8 March 2014; he did not score a goal, and was substituted off the pitch in the 67th minute.

On 10 January 2015, Diamanti moved to Fiorentina on loan from Guangzhou Evergrande.

He scored his first goal for the club on 8 February in a 3–2 win over Atalanta.

On 17 August 2015, Diamanti signed for English Premier League club Watford, on loan from Guangzhou Evergrande, subject to international clearance.

On 13 January 2016, Diamanti signed a season-long loan with Atalanta.

Diamanti put the finishing touches on a comfortable 3–0 defeat of Palermo on 18 November, netting from the penalty spot in the 48th minute.

On 2 December, Diamanti netted from a free-kick as Bologna earned a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Atalanta, courtesy of a second-half goal from teammate Manolo Gabbiadini.

Two weeks later, on 16 December, Diamanti proved instrumental in Bologna's surprise 3–2 defeat of high-flying Napoli, providing the free-kick from which Daniele Portanova headed in a minute from time to secure the victory.