Reggiana smash record for £1.2m Chaïb

Once upon a time, Reggiana scoured the bargain bins. Now they are breaking their transfer record for a player who scored three goals in 86 games for a Ligue 2 side. Amine Chaïb arrives from Stade Brestois 29 for £1.2m, a fee that says more about Reggiana's desperation than his ability.

The 29-year-old Frenchman is hardly a household name. He has never played for his country, and his career has been spent in the shadows of French football's second tier. But Reggiana see something others do not. Perhaps it is his experience, his reliability, or simply his availability. Whatever the reason, they have paid a club-record fee to bring him to Italy.

Chaïb spent four seasons at Brest, making 86 appearances and scoring three goals. He won a trophy there, though what exactly remains a mystery to most. Now he swaps the Atlantic coast for the Po Valley, and the question on everyone's lips is: why?

Reggiana are well known at home, with seven major titles to their name, but they are not a club that throws money around. This is a statement signing, a declaration that they intend to compete. Whether Chaïb can live up to the price tag is another matter. His record suggests a journeyman, not a game-changer. But in Serie B, perhaps a steady presence is what counts.

The move reunites Chaïb with a league he has never played in, and a country he has never called home. It is a gamble, and one that will be scrutinised from the first whistle. If he fails, the critics will say it was money wasted. If he succeeds, Reggiana will look like visionaries. Either way, the eyes of Italian football will be watching.