Aidan Friggieri (right) was one of the stand-out performers at the UEFA U-17 Championship. Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar

Aidan Friggieri’s dream of earning a move to a foreign club could become reality this week as the promising Sliema Wanderers forward has been invited for a trial with the Under-19 squad of Serie A club Lazio.

Friggieri, who caught the eye with a series of dynamic displays while playing for Malta during the recently-held UEFA Under-17 Championship, is travelling to Rome today.

The Lazio youth coaches are reportedly eager to have a closer look at the 16-year-old who has already had trials with Brescia and Pescara in the close season.

It is understood that Friggieri is not the only Maltese player who has captured the attention of Lazio.

Sources told Times of Malta that Lazio had also shown a strong interest in Matthew Guillaumier but the St Andrew’s midfielder opted to bide his time.

Guillaumier, who spent five months training with Empoli last season, is weighing up his options amid reports of interest from other clubs in Italy, England and Belgium.

Widely regarded as one of the rising stars of Maltese football, Guillaumier, 16, is expected to sign for a foreign club in the coming weeks.

Joseph Mbong is another young prospect who is being tracked by foreign clubs, including one from the Netherlands.

Mbong, the son of former Hibs midfielder Essien who passed away last year, also represented Malta at the UEFA Under-17 Championship after his applica-tion for Maltese citizenship was approved a few months before the tournament.

The 17-year-old Hibernians for-ward is expected to be part of the Malta U-19 squad that will head to Sicily later this month for a training camp at Catania’s Torre del Grifo complex.

During the training camp, the Maltese team, under the guidance of coach Wayne Attard, will play friendly games against the U-19 sides of Catania and Messina.

Scouts are expected to watch Mbong and other potential prospects in action in Catania.

Timothy Aquilina has also enhanced his chances of securing a move abroad after being voted as best U-17 goalkeeper during the Hungary international tournament earlier this month.

MFA officials have intensified their efforts to export up-and-coming players to foreign clubs in order to expose them to profes-sional football which in turn would improve their chances of making the grade overseas.

This drive has met with a positive response from a host of Italy clubs despite the financial difficulties plaguing their game.