Mancini was left furious when Roma legend pulled out of Man City move: “It was all done”

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Roberto Mancini says Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi’s move to Manchester City was all arranged before the player had a late change of heart.

Daniele De Rossi

The current Italy coach led City between 2009 and 2013, and secured the club’s first league title for 44 years during his time in England.

However, he revealed one regret from his spell in the Premier League, when Giallorossi captain De Rossi left him in a rage after pulling out of a move to Eastlands.

“We spent one whole night in Rome talking,” Mancini told Il Messaggero.

“It was all done, but he pulled out at the last minute. He called me and told me: ‘I can’t go through with it.’

“I was hurt and angry. It happened such a long time ago, when Daniele was in the middle of his career.

“He would have enjoyed himself. I considered him to be a crucial player.”

Alasdair Mackenzie

Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.