Udinese’s president has told reporters that he will sell striker Vincenzo Iaquinta in January after the player refused to renew his contract with the Serie A club.

“If we find a buyer we’ll sell him in January (when the transfer window reopens). If a player isn’t happy, he can’t stay here,” Giampaolo Pozzo said in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Italy forward was instrumental in Idinese’s qualification for this season’s Champions League and he marked his debut in that competition by scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Panathiaikos.

“Here we have a group of lads who have a great desire to succeed. I don’t see why they should have to pay the consequences of his (Iaquinta’s) behaviour,” said Pozzo.

“It’s a question of respect. Either a player feels attached to the club colours or he doesn’t. In any case, we’re no weaker without him.”

Iaquinta was left out of the squad for the Serie A match with Juventus on Wednesday, which Udinese lost 1-0.

The striker’s current deal runs until 2007, but he has been unwilling to commit to a new deal with the club.