The troubled career of Dani Osvaldo took a new turn today after Southampton finally decided to cut their losses on the 29-year-old and terminate his £75,000-a-week contract with two years left to run. After a series of loan spells the Italy international is now free to join what will be club number twelve in his ten year career. Boca Juniors will perhaps be hopeful of a return to La Bombonera that will see him partner Carlos Tevez in attack but there are said to be offers from Italy.

In August 2013, Southampton paid a club record fee of £14.6 million to Roma for the services of Argentine-born, Italy international Daniel Osvaldo. Then manager, Mauricio Pochettino had persuaded Osvaldo to join the Saints with the hope that he would fire them up the Premier League table after the two had worked together at Espanyol. However, after just 13 appearances and 3 goals, things turned very sour after a training ground incident in which Osvaldo reportedly head-butted club captain Jose Fonte.

This a mere 166 days after signing for the club prompted Osvaldo to leave on-loan to Juventus and effectively ended his career with Southampton. The Serie A champions decided against making the move permanent after he scored just a single goal and he was then sent out to Inter Milan and more recently to his “dream move” Boca Juniors.

Factoring in the transfer fee and his wages and the expense of terminating the contract early, it has been calculated that Osvaldo has cost Southampton around £25 million, nearly £2 million per match and over £8 million per goal. As far as bad signings go, Osvaldo is right up there and perhaps the only solace that Southampton can take from this is that in his absence they have performed terrifically well.

So what next for Osvaldo? Boca were keen to retain him previously but with him being under contract and having just signed Carlos Tevez it seemed that the finances of any deal would be impossible. With that obstruction now removed, provided Osvaldo would take a significant pay-cut he could continue his career with Boca and forge what would be an incredible strike partnership with his friend Carlos in the Argentine Primera.

But Lazio and Fiorentina are both said to be keen on Osvaldo as a free agent and playing in Europe for considerably more money is something that will appeal. The striker played in Florence back in 2008 before being sold to Bologna and also represented Lazio’s city rivals Roma in 2012.

Given his chequered past it is highly unlikely that Osvaldo will stay anywhere too long but Boca might be a decent bet. Alongside Carlos Tevez, Boca would have the most fearsome attack in Argentina but while Tevez returns having achieved everything, Osvaldo has undoubtedly wasted his talent.