Toni demands AS Roma transfer

Italy striker Luca Toni is demanding a transfer to AS Roma to boost his chances of making the squad for next year's World Cup after falling out of favor at Bayern Munich.

The 2006 World Cup winner has been dropped by Bayern coach Louis Van Gaal after a falling out earlier in the season and has been linked with clubs in Italy and England.

"I'll say it again, I won't consider any club apart from Roma," Toni told the Corriere dello Sport on Monday. "I want to wear the red and yellow shirt.

"Those who should know already know that I have made my decision and I won't go back on it. Now it is up to the club and my agent to close this deal. It's at a very delicate phase, but I have chosen Roma."

The 32-year-old wants regular matches to help him win a place in Marcello Lippi's Italy squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Toni scored two goals in the quarterfinals en route to helping Italy win the World Cup in 2006, but has not featured since the world champion's disappointing Confederations Cup campaign in June.

"In the sense that to get there you have to play regularly, I am only thinking about that," he said. "(I want ) to play for a club which gives me the chance to show, once again, what sort of player I am.

"I only want to play, I'm not thinking about anything else and I want to do so at Roma."

Earlier this month, Bayern president Uli Hoeness said Toni could leave on a free transfer.

Since joining the German giants in 2007 Toni has scored 60 goals in two seasons and helped Munich win the German league and cup double in 2008.

Roma is desperate to add another proven striker to its squad. Captain Francesco Totti is the leading scorer with nine goals, but other strikers Mirko Vucinic, Jeremy Menez and Julio Baptista have all struggled.