Roma attacker Patrik Schick gave a lengthy interview to Czech magazine Reporter, here is an excerpt of his words:

Your medical with Juve?

I knew it was nothing serious, it was a heart condition that had passed, I was fine, I knew I had enough time to rest and that everything would be normal, but then Juve delayed my transfer. When I returned from vacation, my agent, Pavel Paska, told me that I would have to go back to Torino for other tests. I replied that I would not go. Juventus no longer mattered to me, I was a bit angry. In mid-July, the €25 million buyout clause in my contract was no longer valid, so the president of Sampdoria told me that he wanted to get the highest possible price and he did so by selling me for €40 million to Roma. When I signed, I felt a huge sense of relief because now I was able to concentrate only on football. I’m definitely more calm than a year ago in Genova because I arrived as a nobody, but here, everyone knows me, they know I’m a young player that has done some things. Kolarov made me feel calm and told me not to worry about my transfer fee. He told me to stay calm and that everything would go well.

Your arrival at Roma?

When I saw the training center, I realised that I’d be getting the best here, I do not know if the things we have here exist at every other club. I do not have to worry about anything, here there are perfect pitches, the best systems for recovering, the gym, plus the nutritionists, who continuously measure us and tell us what to eat, there are dozens of employees who are here specifically for us players.

The future?

I hope to be able to transfer in a few years to an even better club, where I will be paid even better, it is a motivation that has always helped me a lot. Where? I do not think I can go much higher than this, but perhaps there are a few clubs, such as Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United.

John Solano The Editor of RomaPress, John has been covering Italian football as a freelance journalist for over 10 years and has appeared in various publications including ASRoma.com, ESPN, The Liverpool Echo, and more.