MARIO Jardel has gone missing in Italy, fuelling speculation that he could be preparing to turn his back on Europe and return to his native Brazil.

The Wanderers striker, who is on loan at Serie A strugglers Ancona for the rest of the season, has had a torrid time since moving to Italy in January, and reports claim he walked out on the club at the weekend.

That coincided with reports in South America that the Brazilian club, Corinthians, were interested in the 30-year-old ex-international.

Corinthians director Rivelinho is reported as saying: "There is a good possibility that Jardel will accept the transfer. We are in contact with him and he is a very important player."

Jardel, a two-time winner of the Golden Boot as Europe's top scorer during prolific spells at Porto and Sporting Lisbon, appears to have few options in Europe after failing miserably to live up to his high-scoring reputation in England and Italy.

He joined Wanderers on a two-year contract in a blaze of publicity from Sporting Lisbon last August but, despite working hard to get back into match condition and scoring three goals in the early rounds of the Carling Cup, he made only seven Premiership appearances -- all as substitute -- without scoring.

Jardel made his name in Brazil with Gremio and earned himself a dream move to Portugal in 1996. After four prolific seasons at Porto, he moved to Galatasaray in Turkey for £17.6 million and, although maintaining his incredible scoring record of almost a goal a game, returned to Portugal with Sporting a year later.

Again he scored goals but personal problems, allied to his exclusion from the Brazil squad for the 2002 World Cup Finals, turned him from superstar to outcast in Portugal as he went AWOL on more than one occasion.

Sam Allardyce made a bold attempt to revive his career but, despite him still having 18 months to run on his contract, appeared to concede defeat when he loaned him to Ancona, who were and still are bottom of Serie A, during the transfer window.