Lauri Dalla Valle

Early career

Dalla Valle began his career in Finland with JIPPO, and his talent saw him join Internazionale's youth team in 2005. However, Dalla Valle, struggling with the language, soon became homesick and returned to Finland after a few months. He started the 2007 season with JIPPO in the Finnish First Division, but was seriously injured in the fourth round of the Finnish Cup in May 2007, and was out for several months. He scored his only senior goal of the 2007 season in that match before being injured. In the end he only played in 8 matches in Finnish Division I (Miesten Ykkönen) in the 2007 season. He was a transfer target for Chelsea in October 2007.

Liverpool

In early November 2007 he trialled with Liverpool, for the second time (the original time being in November 2006) and he signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the club a few days later, arriving at the club in January 2008. He was part of the Liverpool team that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup in 2009, scoring 8 goals, including 4 against Birmingham in the two-legged semi-final. He was promoted to the Liverpool Reserves squad in June 2009 and started the 2009–10 season as a senior member of the reserves at Melwood. On 29 July 2010, he made his first and only appearance for Liverpool, coming on as a substitute for Alberto Aquilani in the 83rd minute of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League Third qualifying round tie against FK Rabotnički.

Fulham

On 31 August 2010, both Dalla Valle…

Dalla Valle's father is Italian, and consequently he is eligible to represent Italy at international level, but some have said that it is unlikely that he will opt for Italy, and Dalla Valle has represented the Finnish under-17 side in qualifying for the 2006 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship. Dalla Valle, however, has since refused to play for the Finnish under-21 side team in the 2011 European Championship qualification. U21 manager Markku Kanerva and the A national team coach Stuart Baxter criticised the decision. Stuart Baxter was supposed to invite Dalla Valle to Finland national football team training camp in January 2009, but Liverpool forbid him to join based on club obligations.

Dalla Valle was likened to a young Fernando Torres due to his speed, work rate, and finishing ability.

Dalla Valle was born in Kontiolahti, near the city of Joensuu, Finland on 14 September 1991, one of three children to Loreno, an Italian former police officer and mushroom company boss, and Marketta, who is Finnish.