Crystal Palace remain without a frontline striker after another of their attempts to snap up a free agent went amiss.
With Christian Benteke side-lined for over a month, Roy Hodgson has been scouring the continent for an unattached striker due to the transfer window currently being closed.
Rickie Lambert was a name mentioned before he announced his retirement from the game, whilst Carlton Cole's name has been banded about for a shock return to the Premier League.
The latest name to be struck off, is Italian legend Alberto Gilardino. The 35-year-old World Cup winner has been offered to Palace as a short term solution to their striking crisis, but he's opted to remain in Italy and see out his career at hometown side Spazia, signing a two-year-deal for the Serie B side.
Striking crisis goes on for goalless Palace
That Palace will be disappointed to miss out on an ageing player such as Gilardino only serves to show the extent of their striking crisis, with no like-for-like backup's to Benteke.
Winger Bakary Sako was used up front in the weekend's defeat to Manchester United, Palace losing their seventh straight Premier League game as they remained without a goal in the league all season.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is an option to play there having occasionally been used in the role by Chelsea's youth teams due to his power, but that would only weaken an already struggling Eagles midfield. Connor Wickham would be handy if he was available, alas he's out with a long term knee injury.
To add insult to injury, their other star man Wilfried Zaha remains side-lined alongside Benteke, giving Hodgson quite the headache as to how he's going to turn the Londoners' form around.
Next up? Just the small task of a game against champions Chelsea.