Reports: De Rossi to Remain in Serie A

Seeing as how we started off the day discussing Daniele De Rossi's future, we might as well end it that way too. For weeks we assumed that De Rossi, after being spurned by the only team he'd ever known, would forge ahead, continuing his playing career abroad in Argentina or possibly the United States. The line of reasoning, while ultimately irrational, did have a heavy emotional component to it. Given how closely intertwined De Rossi is with all things Roma, we simply assumed he'd never tarnish that legacy by suiting up for another Serie A side.

Hmm, about that...

The fine folks at Football Italia have passed along a report from Sky Sport Italia that claims De Rossi will politely decline whatever offers he has from abroad and seek to continue his playing career in Serie A, with everyone from Sampdoria to Fiorentina to Inter to Milan and even Atalanta lining up for his signature.

While we had some intermittent worries like this following Totti's “retirement” his age necessarily halted the discussion; not many clubs were clamoring for a 40 year old forward, but De Rossi, as he proved this past season, still has some miles left on his legs and can still hack it (and then some) in Italian football, so he should have no shortage of suitors.

For my part, good on him. Roma (in the form of James Pallotta and Franco Baldini) treated him with such little regard, ignoring him for the better part of a year, so what does he owe the club? Should he uproot his entire life and play in an inferior league for the sake of something as vague as legacy?

Daniele De Rossi didn't leave Roma, they left him, and now they're going to suffer the consequences.

So when De Rossi is running rampant in the red, white and blue of Sampdoria next season, busting up our attack and driving Roma mad, make sure you reserve your scorn for the men truly responsible for such a ghastly site.

Daniele De Rossi was always a loyal servant of Roma, and in the end they didn't treat him in kind, and I for one won't bear him ill-will if and when he laces ‘em up against us.