Could another American superstar be on the road to Serie A? After the positive impact Michael Bradley has had on Roma, their intercity rivals Lazio may be in the running to sign Jozy Altidore away from AZ Alkmaar. They have some stiff competition and allegedly Napoli and Fiorentina have fallen out of the running. More from the MLS website.

Is Italy ready for the 2014 World Cup? The host nation may not be; the Brazil v. England match has been postponed due to “unsafe conditions” in the Maracana stadium, one of the premier sites for next year’s tournament. The Brazilian FA claim the delay was due to a delay in delivering the paperwork. More from Pro Soccer Talk. Update- the match will be played Sunday after the judge in the case ruled the match could proceed. Story at The Guardian.

Sumeet Paul at The Bleacher Report looks at the seeming exodus of Italian Serie A stars and how clubs in the league will try and remain competitive in Europe. He notes that there is a youth movement in many teams where young starlets are ready to move into the slots of the departed players and contribute. I like his thesis, but wonder if this system is sustainable.

Jeff Maurer at The Washington Post uses the announcement of AS Roma as the MLS All Star Game opponent to raw some comparisons between a Rome derby match he attended and a DC United game. It is funny, somewhat simplistic, and irreverent, but spot on in some cases.

Fifa.com has an interview up with Napoli’s Marek Hamsik. In the interview, he discusses how Napoli has higher ambitions and why he does not want to leave despite interest from other leagues. An interesting read.

Transfer Rumor of the Day: Today’s rumor is a coaching rumor, as Chievo are reportedly courting Bari’s Vincenzo Torrente to become their new head coach. The background at Forza Italian Football.

If you see a story you want to recommend for this series (which will run every business weekday), Tweet us @serieaweekly or @roberthayjr. This column will run mid-morning Eastern time.