Tuesday, 4th September, 2012
Roma have insisted that they never really considered Manchester City’s approaches for midfielder Daniele De Rossi.
The Citizens were strongly linked with a move for the Italy international before he penned a new contract at Roma earlier this year and then again in the recently closed summer transfer window.
Instead the English champions ended up signing Javi Garcia from Benfica, to fill a role which would surely have been handed to De Rossi, a player Citizens boss Roberto Mancini has been a long-time admirer of.
And so the summer window slammed shut with De Rossi still a Giallorossi player, something which was always going to happen, according to the Italian giants.
“Proper talks never really began and we did not spend much time listening to offers”, Roma COO Claudio Fenucci told Sky Sport Italia.
“We did not have any motivation to do a deal. We would have had to think long and hard before selling him.
“We heard what their offer was but, I repeat, negotiations did not start.”
It remains to be seen whether the English champions will make a new approach for De Rossi in January or next summer, but the Citizens are sure to have difficulty persuading Roma to sell.
De Rossi is an icon at the Serie A side and his loss would be lamented by the club’s faithful.
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