ACTION! MAN

Coppola plot to sway Fab and land role in Italian Job

- BY PAUL BROWN

DIEGO COPPOLA wants Fabian Hurzeler to make him an offer he can't refuse.

The man who shares a name with Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola hasn't been much of a box office hit so far at Brighton.

Seagulls boss Hurzeler signed the 21-year-old Italy defender from Verona in June but their relationship has been strictly business ever since.

With more experienced faces ahead of him in the pecking order, it's taken Coppola 17 games to finally start a Premier League game.

He helped his team to a clean sheet against Sunderland, grabbing his chance because Lewis Dunk was suspended and Jan Paul van Hecke ill.

But with a World Cup coming up, Coppola needs Hurzeler to offer him more guaranteed minutes or he could be tempted by a return to Italy.

Fiorentina are weighing up a January swoop for him and have already made contact with his agent.