Di Natale comments leave Udinese, football future in question

Udinese record-holder Antonio Di Natale spoke to the media ahead of Saturday's visit from Torino, and his comments have done little to quell speculation about his future.

With a thigh strain that's seen the former Italian international fail to log 90 minutes since a defeat at Frosinone in early March, Di Natale confessed that he would not be fit when the Zebrette welcome fellow Northerners, Torino.

You'll have to excuse the prolific goal-scorer for burying the lede.

"I'm sorry I can't be involved tomorrow but I'm injured. I'm sure the team are motivated," Di Natale said during Friday's presser, courtesy of Udinese's official twitter account.

"I want to be fit in time for the Carpi game so I can celebrate with the fans and play my last match in Udine."

In May, Di Natale admitted that he wanted to play beyond the 2015-16 season, but said that he would not make up his mind until June. The 38-year-old's contract with the club expires then, and it's uncertain if Friday's comments symbolise a desire to leave Udinese or football as a whole.

"If I leave, I'll leave with my head held high. I'm proud of what I've achieved here and I'm grateful to the club.

"I've had 12 amazing years here. I thank the club, my team-mates and the fans for what I've been able to do."

Amazing indeed. Arguably one of Europe's most underrated strikers, Di Natale's numbers are enough to include him among Italy's most potent attackers.

With 208 goals in 444 appearances, Toto Di Natale is second only to Roma's Francesco Totti (247 goals in 598) in scoring standards among active players. His 0.47 goals per appearances is far and away superior to the country's best.

Sixth all-time in Serie A's scoring charts, Di Natale has his eyes set on Giuseppe Meazza and Jose Altafini's joint fourth-best standard of 216, but that will take another year in the top-flight, and Udinese doesn't appear to be the setting.

"I won’t stop playing, that is certain," Di Natale confirmed. "I think that I still have a lot to offer the game and I’ll do my best to try and catch Meazza."

WIth just one goal in 22 appearances this campaign after having reached double digits in each of the last nine seasons, Di Natale is far from his best days, though it's daft to focus on that, and not his entire body of work since moving from Empoli in 2004.

He is the club's all-time leader in both appearances and goals both domestically and in European competitions, was named Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year in 2010, and has been thrice included in the Team of the Year.

Between 2009 and 2011, only Lionel Messi (82) and Cristiano Ronaldo (86) scored more goals than Di Natale (67), and unlike the common footballer's career arc, the undersized Napoletano improved with age.

With three matches left in the season and Udinese still mathematically eligible for the drop sitting 16th, six points up on Palermo, Di Natale is shifting the focus, conceding that the club is of greater importance than any decision he makes.

"I’ve had so much happiness here and achieved so much thanks to my teammates and the club. Right now, all that matters to me is Udinese, they are more important than anything, including me."

If only that were true, Toto.