Rossi to Villareal, Or: The Dream is Dead
By: Martha | July 31st, 2007
That sound you heard a few hours ago was the hearts of several small Serie A teams breaking: Giuseppe Rossi just signed a six-year deal with Villareal, leaving both England and Italy behind for a go in La Liga. Assuming Rossi passes his medical tomorrow, Napoli, Fiorentina and Parma will all be saying goodbye to their dreams of our Jersey Boy, and looking elsewhere to fill their striker holes.
According to early reports, the deal is worth about £6.7 million to Manchester United, a price which apparently exceeds by more than £1 million the best offer they received from Italy. That’s all well and good, but what I’m interested in is how much it’s worth to the player — Fiorentina has a strict €1.5 million salary cap, and I’d imagine the ceilings at Parma and Napoli are similar; I wonder if Rossi’s earning more in Spain than he would have in Italy. Also, how much will he play? The current Villareal roster isn’t loaded with strikers so it looks like he’ll get a chance to make a place for himself in the team, but if taking this impressively long-term contract with a foreign club and sitting on the bench more than he would have elsewhere scuttles the kid’s Azzurri chances, he might be looking back with a whole lot of regret a couple years from now, UEFA Cup experience or not.
Note: I’m flying back to the States tomorrow, so updates are unlikely. Hopefull Cassano won’t be triumphantly unveiled in purple while I’m in the air.
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Comments
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I can see that Villareal would be attractive for a guy in Rossi’s situation. They are regularly in UEFA/Champions league contention, and obviously La Liga is really strong at the moment. They made a big commitment to him and he gets a chance to be the man.
Plus, times are changing for Italian players (note that I’m not saying he’s Italian-American since it is long past time for American fans to give up the pipe dream of him suiting up for the USMNT). It seems less necessary to be playing in Serie A nowadays to get a call-up to the Azzuri.
I would have liked to see him with Fiorentina or elsewhere in Serie A, since there is only so much time I can dedicate to watching various leagues. I think he’ll do well in La Liga, as other diminutive forwards have had success there. Good luck Giuseppe.
Posted from
United States
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I’m sad to see him go as he was such a bright spot at the end of last season in Serie A. It is probably a sign of the times that he has gone to La Liga but I hope when he matures into the top class player he is going to be he might still return to his homeland.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Small team? Man, now I’m hurt. I don’t know, I wouldn’t call Parma, Viola or Napoli a small squad but whatever. I really cannot take it. I’m glad I never got my hopes up on Marino landing this kid. Give them hell, Giuseppe. Villareal is a great team.
Posted from
United States -
I actually was worried you might take offense at that, Joe — but I would never call your support or stature small, only your budget. Is that better? Or am I totally mischaracterizing those teams? Medium-sized?
Posted from
Portugal -
I’m worried about the Azzurri thing because, while it’s been proven now that people can stay in the team while they’re playing abroad, I’m not sure we’ve seen evidence (perhaps because there’s not been much opportunity) of people working their way INTO the side while playing anywhere but Italy.
But if he plays a lot at Villareal and makes himself important to that team? AWESOME. For him and Italy.
Posted from
Portugal -
I’m just gonna say Tavano, Di Vaio, Fiore, Cassano, Corradi, Lucarelli. Ok he’s not joining Valencia (who seemingly love to buy Italians and bench them unless they’re left backs) and he’s not seven years old in his head like Cassano so I guess he has a chance of having some good years there.
Posted from
Netherlands -
Ok last night I had a revelation, now this the team I would assemble if I were Massimo Moratti, just a little bit crazier.
Rolando Bianchi - Giuseppe Rossi;
Simone Del Nero (Brescia) - Rosina - Matteo Monteverde (Reggina);
Andrea Giallombardo (Livorno) - Giorgio Arancino (Bayreuth… in the Bayern regional league);Coach: well duh, Lugi Del Neri. Unfortunately I could not complete it, so I would have had to buy South Americans called Rojas.
Help me I think I’m having calcio withdrawal symptoms…
Posted from
Netherlands -
Rickard, what were on while you were compiling this team? Because, apart from everything else, I think only having seven players will really screw you. (And why Gigi Del Neri? I think if I was making up a team from scratch, I’d start with Serse Cosmi. Simply because he’s awesome. And bald.)
Posted from
Portugal -
GOD DAMN IT! i was still harboring some delusions that galliani would wake the fuck up and sign him… and we could afford to pay him whatever he wanted!! damn…
arite im gonna attend the funeral of my my hopes…
Posted from
India -
I know for obvious reasons people around here wanted to see him in Serie A, but as the resident La Ligaphile I can only say this is a great move for both Villareal and Rossi. If Villareal play like they did during the last month of the season in 07/08 Rossi will be given plenty of assistance to make sure he gets the goals, plus with Forlan now at Atletico they needed a striker and he’s guaranteed to get a decent amount of play time.
Yes not being in Italy might hurt his chances for the Italian team but it’s about time that the Azzuri wake up and understand that its for the best that Italian players experience the playing style of the other two big leagues, its not like he’s going to MLS or some other career dead end. If he’s good enough than he will stand out in Spain as much as he would in Italy. Plus he is in good company, I predict Zambrotta will have a great season at Barca.
Posted from
United States -
But Martha, Cosmi is not a color!
Posted from
Netherlands -
I would call them “Reservoir Milan”. Only problem is that Rosina does not at all look like Steve Busceme aka Mr.Pink.
Posted from
Netherlands -
Yeah, I totally agree with Nolan (predictably). Villarreal are a team who know what they’re doing, unlike many of Spain’s bigger, wealthier clubs, and he’ll get plenty of time to impress.
Besides, the last underrated forward to move from Man Utd to Villarreal was extremely successful. You know, the blond one from Uruguay. :)
Posted from
Australia -
nothing to do with this but Del Piero’s wife is pregnant! so congrats!
Posted from
Canada -
Serse Cosmi is the owner of the best voice in football. My God the man is classic. He always sounds like he’s just downed a bottle of whiskey and finished off a pack of Pall Malls. Now, that is my kind of coach.
Rossi will do well at Villareal. I really think the playing abroad thing hurting your chances with the Azzurri is overblown. I do think it can be a problem if more than half your regular national team callups play outside of Italy. We’re a long way from that happening. I just hope if he doesn’t get regular playing time it’s because he hasn’t busted his hump in practice. Judging from what I hear about Giuseppe that won’t be a problem. I admit I’m hurt Napoli didn’t get him. And, Martha, I’m just teasing. We’ll get there, but there’s no sense calling Napoli a big team until we start finishing in the top 4 with some measure of consistency.
Posted from
United States -
Rickard, I’m a color-blind moron — your Reservoir Milan team is brilliant.
And Joe, totally agreed about Cosmi. I’d marry him if he’d have me, entirely for his voice and his style. And those hats. Imagine, all the hats!
Posted from
United States
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