WANT-AWAY Ipswich keeper Matteo Sereni is stranded in Italy - after claiming he lost his passport.Sereni, Town's record signing after a £5 million move from Sampdoria less than two years ago, failed to report for training today.

By Mel Henderson

WANT-AWAY Ipswich keeper Matteo Sereni is stranded in Italy - after claiming he lost his passport.

Sereni, Town's record signing after a £5 million move from Sampdoria less than two years ago, failed to report for training today.

He was given permission to return home at the weekend and Ipswich boss Joe Royle did not expect to see him again.

But that was because the goalkeeper, who spent the whole of last season on loan to Brescia, seemed on the brink of signing for Lazio.

However, the deal was not finalised and Sereni, who has made no secret of his desire to clinch a permanent move back home, should have returned to Ipswich.

Royle said this morning: "I really felt we were very close to a deal with Sereni, but now I'm told he is on his way back. I'll believe it when I see it."

It later emerged, though, that Sereni would not be returning - and he is not included in Town's squad that departs on Thursday for a three-game tour of Scandinavia.

Town are taking two keepers - teenager Lewis Price and experienced Spanish trialist Javier Sanchez Broto, recently released by Celtic.

Had Sereni put in an appearance, Royle intended naming him in the squad to face Southend at Roots Hall tomorrow, when he plans to field two different teams in each half.