[D-Kin]

Cagliari President Massimo Cellino has confirmed that Mauro Esposito will join Roma in a co-ownership deal.

The winger, who was ruled out for six months last term by a knee injury, had already been paired with the capital city club last summer, but the Giallorossi failed to complete the transfer.

“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,” 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.”

The Isolani have agreed to release the player whilst keeping 50 per cent of his contract and have reportedly been offered £3.5m by the Giallorossi, plus the loans of Gianluca Curci and Daniele Galloppa.

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