) is an Italian footballer who currently plays as a striker for Lecce

U.S. Lecce

Unione Sportiva Lecce or simply U.S. Lecce is an Italian football club based in Lecce, Apulia who play in the Italian Serie A. After being crowned Serie B champions in 2009–10, the team successfully managed to avoid relegation in 2010-11....

.

Club career

Di Michele, whose mother is from Casarano

Casarano

Casarano is a town and sixth most populous comune in the Italian province of Lecce, in the Apulia region of South-East Italy. The town's economy is mostly agriculture-based, with olive oil being the main product. The Church of Santa Maria Della Croce is one of the oldest Christian sites in the...

, began his career with Lodigiani

A.S. Cisco Roma

Atletico Roma Football Club was an Italian football club, based in Rome, Lazio. It was the third most popular team of the Italian capital city.-From Lodigiani to Cisco Lodigiani:The club was founded in 1972 as A.S. Lodigiani.A.S...

 (now Cisco Roma) in the Italian Serie C1

Serie C1

Lega Pro Prima Divisione is the name of the third highest football league in Italy. It consists of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 18 teams each. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1....

 near to his hometown Guidonia, and played for them from 1993 to 1996. He was then transferred to Foggia Calcio

U.S. Foggia

Unione Sportiva Foggia is an Italian football club, based in Foggia, Puglia. The club was founded in 1920. Foggia currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione, having last been in Serie A in 1995....

 in the Italian Serie B

Serie B

Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...

.

He had a short stint in Foggia

U.S. Foggia

Unione Sportiva Foggia is an Italian football club, based in Foggia, Puglia. The club was founded in 1920. Foggia currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione, having last been in Serie A in 1995....

, playing just two seasons before being transferred to Salernitana

Salernitana Calcio 1919

Salerno Calcio, or simply Salerno is an Italian association football club from Salerno, Campania.The club is not the legitimate heir of the former Salernitana Calcio 1919, but there is however a sports continuity between the two companies thanks to Article 52 NOIF of FIGC, and the fact that they...

. With Salernitana, he made his Serie A

Serie A

Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...

 debut, however the following year Salernitana were relegated to Serie B.

Udinese

After two seasons with Salernitana in Serie B, he was transferred to Udinese

Udinese Calcio

Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....

 for the 2001/02 season. After the 2001/02 season with Udinese, he played two seasons with Reggina

Reggina Calcio

Reggina Calcio are an Italian association football club, the main club of the city of Reggio Calabria. Founded in 1914, they currently play in the Italian Serie B, and play their home matches at the 27,763 seater Stadio Oreste Granillo...

, only to be transferred back to Udinese in 2004/05. In the 2005/06 season, he played half a season with Udinese and took part in the UEFA Champions League

UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

.

In a 2004/05 Coppa Italia

Coppa Italia

The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...

 match against Lecce

U.S. Lecce

Unione Sportiva Lecce or simply U.S. Lecce is an Italian football club based in Lecce, Apulia who play in the Italian Serie A. After being crowned Serie B champions in 2009–10, the team successfully managed to avoid relegation in 2010-11....

, he scored 2 goals before replacing keeper Samir Handanovic

Samir Handanovic

Samir Handanovič, is a Slovenian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Italian club Udinese and the Slovenian national team. He is well known for his ability to save pentalies...

 in goal after the latter was sent off. He stopped a key penalty in the final minutes of the game to ensure a 5-4 victory for Udinese.

Palermo

Halfway through the 2005–06 season Di Michele's contract was sold to Palermo

U.S. Città di Palermo

Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...

., with Simone Pepe

Simone Pepe

Simone Pepe is an Italian footballer who plays as a right winger for Serie A club Juventus. He is known for his high versatility and can play on either side of the pitch and even as a right fullback-Club career:...

, Salvatore Masiello

Salvatore Masiello

Salvatore Masiello is an Italian football player. He currently plays for A.S. Bari.-Football career:Masiello started his career at Venezia, he made one Serie B appearances before moved to Lumezzane . In January 2003, he was signed by U.S. Città di Palermo, rejoined chairman Maurizio Zamparini...

 and Nicola Santoni

Nicola Santoni

Nicola Santoni is an Italian former association football goalkeeper.- Career :He started his professional career at native club Cesena of Emilia-Romagna region. He was on loan to Chieti in 2000-01 season.- Palermo :...

 move to oppose direction. He made his debut for Palermo in a Serie A home match against Parma

Parma F.C.

Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...

, in which he scored two goals in a 4-2 win. In his 2005/06 season, Di Michele played 19 matches, scoring seven goals.

In March 2007, Di Michele was found guilty of illegal betting and received a three month ban from Serie A. He also received a $27,000 fine. Betting was not illegal for Italian players until November 2005, but Di Michele, along with three others, placed bets through an illegal bookmaker. However, he was allowed to play in friendlies and to take part in training so he was able to retain match fitness.

Torino

On 5 July 2007 Palermo announced they had sold him to Torino

Torino F.C.

Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....

, agreed a 4-year deal. On 31 July FIGC announced Di Michele was suspended until November. He made 25 appearances with the granata, scoring a total 6 goals in the 2007/08 season.

On 2 September 2008, Di Michele was loaned to West Ham United

West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...

, with an option for the English club to make the deal permanent. He made his debut for West Ham in the 3-2 defeat to West Brom

West Bromwich Albion F.C.

West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...

 on 13 September 2008, coming on as a substitute for the injured Dean Ashton

Dean Ashton

Dean Ashton is a former English professional footballer. He made over 240 appearances as a forward in the Football League and Premier League for Crewe Alexandra, Norwich City and , and was also capped by England. He was highly praised as a talented centre forward, but had a career frustrated by...

. In his second game for West Ham, on 20 September 2008, he scored his first goals in English football, and for West Ham, in the 3-1 home win against Newcastle United

Newcastle United F.C.

Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...

 However, at the end of the season manager Gianfranco Zola

Gianfranco Zola

Gianfranco Zola, OBE, Ufficiale OMRI is a retired Italian footballer and manager, who most recently managed West Ham United from 2008 to 2010, after having been assistant manager of the Italy U-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi...

 did not take up the option of making the deal permanent.

During 2009-10 season, Ultras

Ultras

Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...

 of Torino attacked the players during Di Michele's birthday party. After the incident the players involved: Di Michele, Massimo Loviso

Massimo Loviso

Massimo Loviso is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie B team Crotone.-Bologna:Born in Bentivoglio, the Province of Bologna, Loviso started his career at Bologna F.C. 1909. After made his debut on 8 November 2003, a 0-0 draw with Brescia as starter, Loviso mainly played as backup.-Livorno:In...

, Riccardo Colombo

Riccardo Colombo

Riccardo Colombo is an Italian football player. He currently plays for Reggina.In 2008-09 season, he also played 3 games at Coppa Italia 2008-09....

, Aimo Diana

Aimo Diana

Aimo Stefano Diana is an Italian footballer who plays for A.C. Lumezzane in Lega Pro Prima Divisione. A player of wide range, he can appear as a midfielder or a defender, always on the right flank.-Club career:...

, Marco Pisano

Marco Pisano

Marco Giovanni Pisano is an Italian footballer who plays as a left-sided defender for Vicenza.-Career:Pisano started his career at S.S. Lazio youth team. He joined Brescia of Serie B in January 2000. He was on loan to Serie C1 clubs in 2000–01 & 2001–02 season. He made his Serie A debut for...

, Francesco Pratali

Francesco Pratali

Francesco Pratali is an Italian footballer, who currently plays for TorinoDuring 2009–10 season, Ultras of Torino attacked the players during David Di Michele's birthday party...

, Paolo Zanetti

Paolo Zanetti

Paolo Zanetti is an Italian football midfielder. He currently plays for Grosseto in Serie B.-Football career:...

 were transferred to other clubs and only Rolando Bianchi

Rolando Bianchi

Rolando Bianchi is an Italian footballer, currently playing for Torino F.C.. His position is centre forward. He was widely considered as one of the brightest promises of Italian football, notably scoring 19 goals in the 2006–2007 season playing with Calabrian club Reggina.-Career:Bianchi began his...

, Matteo Rubin

Matteo Rubin

Matteo Rubin is an Italian footballer. He plays as a Defender. He is currently playing for Italian Serie A team Parma on loan from Torino F.C.. Matteo is a strong running left-back who is as keen to get forward as he is tenacious in his defending...

 and Angelo Ogbonna were remained.

Lecce

He was signed by US Lecce in January 2010. Having gained a place in the starting eleven, he has been one of the decisive men in Lecce's successful Serie B campaign.

On 24 June 2011 he renewed his contract for one more year.

External links