Man City considering shock swoop for Roma legend De Rossi for academy guru role
MANCHESTER CITY are considering offering Italy World Cup winner Daniele de Rossi a role as an academy coach.
The Roma captain could hang up his boots in the summer after a campaign plagued by injury.
De Rossi is out-of-contract at the Stadio Olimpico at the end of the season and is understood to be contemplating hanging up his boots.
Italian newspaper Tuttosport understand former teammate Pep Guardiola is interested in bringing the 35-year-old to England.
A veteran of over 600 club appearances and 117 international outings, the one club man has swathes of experience for City’s youngsters to draw from.
He has spent his entire career in the Italian captain, scoring 62 goals and winning three major honours.
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City tried to sign the midfield enforced – known as ‘capitan futuro’ due to his leadership qualities – in 2012 when managed by Roberto Mancini.
And though Mancini is long gone the Etihad Stadium club are set to reignite their interest.
Agent Sergi Berti is understood to be working on the deal, which would see De Rossi link up with academy manager Gareth Taylor.
Wife Sarah Felberhaum believes De Rossi is entering the dying embers of his career and could be open to an opportunity overseas.
She told Vanity Fair this week: “I’ve never seen Daniele in a bad mood.
“Soon he’ll have to make the most difficult decision of his life: what to be when he grows up.
“He’s been a footballer all his life, every day of every week, but he’s also one of the wisest people I know: he doesn’t take his work home.
“He’s been through a lot, both at work and in his personal life, over the years.
“Yet lately, with the end of his career ahead of him, never once have I seen him feel down or in a bad mood. I leave him with complete freedom.
“An experience abroad? Why not? He’s very attached to his family, but I’m different. I say: ‘Let’s take the children and go.’”
Knee, foot and calf problems have disrupted De Rossi’s campaign, restricting him to just 19 appearances during the 2018-19 season.
Despite his longevity and commitment to Roma, the highlights of his career have come in the blue of the Azzuri.
Alongside winning over a century of caps for Italy, he was part of the squad which won the World Cup in 2006, scoring the third penalty in the shoot-out win over France in the final.
He represented his country in nine major international tournaments, including the 2004 Olympic Games where he scooped a bronze medal.
De Rossi was cruelly denied the perfect send-off at the 2018 World Cup after Italy failed to qualify.
In what was his final outing, he featured in the team which crashed out in the play-offs to eventual quarter-finalists Sweden.