Football - Anacoura joins Ancona |06 February 2017

The Italian goalkeeper, who is also of Seychellois descent, has moved to Italian third tier side Ancona for the rest of the season, on loan from parent club Juventus.

Francesco Anacoura had spent the first half of the season on loan at Casertana, who also play in the Italian third division and will now be expected to be first choice between the sticks at Ancona.

Anacoura, who has dual nationality (Italian and Seychelles), was signed by Italian champions Juventus in 2013, before going on loan at Cuneo, then Pro Vercelli, Pontedera and Rimini, Casertana and now the 20-year-old will play for Ancona.

Born in Milan, the capital of Lombardy, Anacoura began his career as a player of Lombard club Internazionale in 2004. He left Inter in 2008, when he played for the under-15 team of Pavia during the 2008–09 and 2009–10 campaigns. In July 2010 Anacoura was signed by club Parma on a temporary deal. The Serie A club later bought Anacoura outright, after he managed to appear in 11 games for the reserve team of Parma during the 2011–12 season. Alberto Gallinetta was another first choice goalkeeper for the Parma reserve team that season.

Interestingly, both Anacoura and Gallinetta were signed by Serie A champions Juventus in a multi-player swap-deal in August 2012 and January 2013 respectively. The transfer agreement saw Raman Chibsah and Filippo Boniperti join Parma.

On August 17, 2012, Anacoura was officially swapped with Raman Chibsah of Juventus on a co-ownership deal. The 50% registration rights of the players were each valued at €750,000 as well as both club retained the half “card”. Anacoura signed a 5-year contract with Juventus, but returned to Parma's youth academy immediately.

During the 2012–13 season he served primarily as the backup goalkeeper to Matteo Ferrari who played 7 games and later to Matteo Cincilla for 8 matches, after his arrival from Inter Milan in January 2013. Anacoura played 8 matches during that season.

In June 2013 the co-ownership deal of Anacoura was renewed, but Chibsah was sold outright to Parma in order to finalise his transfer to Sassuolo. On July 19, 2013, along with Juventus youth goalkeeper Federico Gagliardini, they were signed by Italian fourth-tier club, Piedmontese side Cuneo.

Anacoura made his first-team and professional debut in the first round of the 2013–14 Coppa Italia. Anacoura was the starting keeper in the league and gave the starting position to Gagliardini in the cup matches. He finished the season with 29 league matches and the single cup start during the 2012–13 Lega Pro and returned to Juventus on June 30, 2014. In June 2014 the co-ownership was also renewed again.

On July 12, 2014 Anacoura was signed by Serie B newcomer Pro Vercelli on another temporary loan deal; the club also has obtained the option to purchase the player outright following the conclusion of the 2014–15 Serie B season. In January 2015 he was signed by Pontedera in another temporary deal. In June 2015 Juventus acquired the remaining 50% registration rights of Anacoura from Parma for free.

On July 22, 2015, Anacoura joined Lega Pro side Rimini on loan from Juventus.

In July 2016 Anacoura joined Casertana and in January 2017 joined Ancona.

The origins of football in Ancona go back to 1905 when the club was founded as Unione Sportiva Anconitana, changing its name to Ancona Calcio in 1982 and being refounded in 2004 as Associazione Calcio Ancona.

Ancona 1905 play their home matches at the 25,000 capacity, Stadio Conero, located in the city of Ancona.