Gianluca Mancini has chosen with his heart. The Roma defender has renewed his contract until 2029, putting an end to months of uncertainty about his future. During that period, several teams had made inquiries, including Inter, but in the end, the player decided to stay in the capital.
“It’s the crowning achievement of my career, something I’ve always dreamed of. I had earned it years ago in Bergamo, then I came to Rome. Finally hearing that music makes me proud. I can’t wait,” Mancini told Gazzetta dello Sport, referring to the Champions League that Roma will play in next season.
The Giallorossi center-back then spoke about his character on the pitch: “Off the field I’m calm. But once I’m out there, it’s competition: we all transform, not just me. And I always play to win. I don’t mind if it bothers some people, what matters to me is that my fans appreciate me.”
On his bond with the city, also shown by the SPQR tattoo he got in December: “Rome has entered my heart and my blood. I love tattoos, and in December I promised myself I’d get one if we made it to the Champions League. SPQR is a beautiful inscription and it sums up the bond I have with the city and the club.”
The renewal represents a life choice for the defender: “I’m very happy, I wanted this renewal with all my heart. Rome is home for me. In football you never know, but I hope it can be like this: Rome for life.”
His agent Riso had hinted that he could have earned more elsewhere: “He said what he thought. But in the end, the player decides and he worked in my best interests. I’m not crazy, but you can’t control your heart. When I signed, we hugged. And he was happy to see me happy.”
On the interested teams, Mancini confirmed: “One club is known, the others are just stories that are gone with the wind. There were various approaches, but I didn’t pay them much attention. Of course, I only had one year left on my contract and there were two options: renew or say goodbye. But I knew the club and the coach still wanted to count on me.”
Looking at the season’s objectives, the defender spoke about the team’s growth: “He always tells us, every day there’s room for improvement. But you don’t reach the top with a snap of your fingers. We have to stay competitive at a high level and qualify for the Champions every year to keep improving.”
On the possibility of challenging Inter for the title: “It takes a journey, you don’t start fighting for the Scudetto overnight, we have to be honest. The important thing will be to go straight and strong, and if things go badly, never get discouraged.”
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