Despite being heavily linked with a big money move to England, Roma General Manager Franco Baldini says the club “have no financial need to sell” Daniele De Rossi. Baldini also backed manager Zdenek Zeman’s decision to drop the midfielder before the international break.
Zeman left both De Rossi and striker Pablo Osvaldo out of the match against Atalanta but restored them to the starting XI this past weekend and was rewarded by two excellent performances.
Speaking to Sly Italia after the comeback win at Genoa, Baldini said the club was unlikely to alter its position on De Rossi who has been the subject of constant speculation linking him to Manchester City.
“We are absolutely convinced that we have put a very strong squad at Zeman’s disposal, which of course he helped to construct,” Baldini said. “This is a side whose ambition is to win and win soon.
“We are proud of our team, especially De Rossi and Osvaldo. The coach has every right to make his decisions and deal with the team. The club has never intervened in these matters. Zeman merely said what he expects from the squad in general.
“We already decided not to sell him in the summer, so I don’t think anything can change our minds. Let it be clear, we have no financial need to sell De Rossi. The project that started a year ago did not require sales to finance new buys.
“We tried over the summer to find 22 potential first choice players for the team and now it is up to the coach on how to field them.”
The phrase “no financial need to sell” is an interesting one as it implies that Roma do not need to sell, but if Man City offers €30 or €40m euros for Rossi that they might be inclined to sell the player because it is too much money to turn down, not because they have to sell him.
