Sagna: 'Benevento what football is about'

By Football Italia staff

Bacary Sagna explained "when football has become a business more than an actual sport, Benevento represents the heart and soul of what a club should be about.”

The former Arsenal and Manchester City defender was a free agent after his contract at the Etihad expired in June 2017.

He will today put pen to paper on a six-month deal with Benevento, who are at the bottom of the Serie A table in their first ever top flight campaign.

“In the past few months, I have had several offers from clubs in the top leagues in England, France, Spain, Turkey, the MLS and elsewhere in Italy. However, they were not the right moves for myself or my family,” Sagna told FootballFancast.com.

“Going to Benevento is not a move I am making for financial reasons. I could have gone to many other clubs, many of whom made substantial offers to me.

“My career for the past decade has been at the very top level, what Benevento offers me is the opportunity to represent the underdog and to play for a club whose story is such a beautiful one.

“In an era when football has become more of a business at many clubs than an actual sport, Benevento represents the heart and soul of what a football club should be about. Passion, heart, hope, joy, love and a philosophy that is aligned to that of my own way of thinking in life.

“They are a great family club, built around the community they are in. At this moment in my life, it is where I want to play football, it is where I want to be right now. I still believe I have two or three years of playing football at a very good level. I have always kept myself in very good shape and I live a healthy lifestyle, so the fitness side of the game will not be an issue to me.

“I still believe I can make the World Cup Finals this summer and play again for France. I have always been proud to play for my country and the burning ambition to continue to do that has never left me. I will give it my best shot to be in Russia.

“My move may surprise many, but I am one hundred percent sure, that I am joining the right club, for the right reasons.

“The club President, Oreste Vigorito, is a good man, a man of his word and that is very important to me.

“The warmth he and his family have shown to me and my own family has been very touching. His humanity in what he has done for the community and particularly for the under privileged and disabled in the region, is something very special to see. What he and his football club represents, is far bigger than football.

“People will see in the course of time, the benefits that will hopefully come out of my relationship with the club.

“For right now, I am coming to Benevento to fight for the club, to fight for the fans. It will be my pleasure to be part of this wonderful club, to be with these wonderful people.

“It is the beginning of the next chapter my life and I am looking forward to what I am sure will be a very happy period in both my professional and personal life.”

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