Matias Soulé confessed he was ‘in tears’ when fearing the dream move to Roma would break down amid Leicester City talks and reveals Thiago Motta didn’t want to sell.
The 21-year-old completed the transfer to the Stadio Olimpico for €25.6m plus up to €4m in performance-related bonuses after weeks of negotiations.
Although Leicester City were prepared to bid higher and give him a superior salary, he had his heart set on the Giallorossi.
“I was so anxious I wouldn’t be able to come here,” he told the Corriere dello Sport.
“The negotiations took so long and I suffered too: I was in tears at one point, because I really feared it would fall apart. Daniele De Rossi called and reassured me.”
Considering Roma have been forced to tighten their belts for years over Financial Fair Play parameters, did he feel pressure at costing them so much?
“No, in fact it is motivation, so I want to prove I am worth that much money.”
Why Soulé had his heart set on Roma
From the very beginning it was clear that coach De Rossi played a key role in convincing Soulé that Roma was the right destination for his career.
“He really likes me and I feel the same about him. He’s such a hard worker. I talked to him many times during the negotiations, and he even has a great Argentine accent! He is bringing in a winning mentality.”
