[DemonDeac]

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Roma seal Esposito deal

Eurosport - Mon, 25 Jun 15:29:00 2007

Serie A - Coppa Italia winners Roma have sealed a co-ownership deal with Cagliari for winger Mauro Esposito.
FOOTBALL 2006-2007 Serie A Mauro Esposito Cagliari - 0

Roma have been tracking the Italy international for some time, but a serious knee injury derailed a potential move 12 months ago.

But this time round the Giallorossi have got their man, although Cagliari have kept hold of a 50% stake in the player while Roma sweetened the deal by offering Gianluca Curci and Daniele Galloppa on loan plus a payment of £3.5million.

"Esposito told me that he would have stayed at Cagliari forever, but playing for Roma was a great opportunity and I didn't have the courage to say no," Cagliari president Massimo Cellino told the radio program La Politica nel Pallone.

"Roma said they could not do anything insane to sign him and we had already reached a verbal agreement for David Suazo, so we decided to find a solution suitable for all of us," added the Rossoblu chief.

"Players like Esposito have stayed in Cagliari because of their affection and not for the money. Esposito earns £280,000 a year and has never asked for an increase, I felt I owed him something."

Esposito joins fellow Cagliari favourite Suazo - who has also been allowed to leave the Stadio Sant'Elia for Internazionale after showing immense loyalty to the club over the years - on his way out of the Sardinian outfit.

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Hopefully Esposito can find his previous form of two years ago.