Chelsea fullback Davide Zappacosta admits Gianluca Petrachi had a big influence on his move to AS Roma.
Zappacosta has signed to January with the option to extend to June, a deal thrashed out by his former Torino sports chief Gianluca Petrachi.
He said, Petrachi's presence was very important for me, as I know what kind of person he is and the passion he puts into his work. He influenced my decision, but in truth I had no doubts about Roma anyway, as it's a big club with talented young players and all they need to do well.
I spoke to Coach Paulo Fonseca for 10 minutes at lunch, when I introduced myself to my new teammates. I heard good things about him and I can't wait to start work. They tell me he's a hard worker with clear ideas and a good motivator.
It is in my favour that he likes full-backs who push forward, but defending is also important. I am accustomed to attacking a lot, so I hope to give my best here.
It's positive that Roma are building a group of Italian players, especially as they are also quite young. It's important going into Euro 2020 that young homegrown talent gets to play regularly."
Zappacosta is happy playing for Roma's support, recalling their Champions League games against Chelsea.
Unfortunately for me, they were not the most positive games for Chelsea. I remember the stifling noise of the Giallorossi fans at Stamford Bridge, as they were drowning out the home crowd. The atmosphere at the Olimpico is also crazy. I think it'll be so exciting to play with a crowd like that."
