Fonseca warning for Roma pair

By Football Italia staff

Paulo Fonseca has warned Nicolo Zaniolo and Edin Dzeko that he only wants players who ‘are happy to be at Roma’ and ‘show they deserve be at this club’.

Fonseca spoke at his first Press conference as Roma boss on Monday and assured he would build a team that ‘all our fans can be proud of’.

“I am very happy to be here and to be able to work for this great club in this amazing city. I hope to be able to talk to all of you [entirely] in Italian very soon.

“It won’t be ‘my’ Roma - but everyone’s Roma. I’m extremely motivated to build an ambitious team that all our fans can be proud of.

“We are working hard to put together a great team and we are considering our options carefully at the moment. We want players with the right attributes and who fit our profile, players who can improve the squad, like Pau Lopez.

“When I came to the Olimpico two seasons ago with Shakhtar there was an amazing atmosphere - the crowd drove the team on to win that night. I’ll do everything I can to get the fans on board and recreate that sort of atmosphere.

“The aim is to qualify for the Champions League again as soon as possible. But we also want to build a strong, ambitious, courageous team that will make the fans proud.”

Dzeko and Zaniolo have been linked with exits this summer, and the Portuguese made it clear his club would not be held to ransom by the pair.

“What matters for us is the present and the future. I haven’t talked to Edin, but I want players who are happy to be at Roma.

“Zaniolo has great talent and we believe in him a lot, but every player must show that they deserve to be at this club by the way they train every day. I want players who put the club and the team’s targets before anything else.

“There are players here who will be central to what we are building. Tomorrow the work starts. It will take time for the players to adjust to my ideas, but I am convinced that - between the players we have and those that will arrive - we’ll build a strong side.

“The formation means less to me than the dynamics we implement within it. My teams are always very proactive. The coach’s philosophy and ideas are obviously vital, but equally you have to adapt to the characteristics of the players you have.

“Clearly we will try to improve defensively, but that does not mean that we will be a defensive side. I feel the best form of defence is to keep the ball. It’s important to keep the intensity high at all times.”

Finally, the 46-year-old was asked about the possible arrival of Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain.

“I’m in tune with Petrachi, so it’s not my intention to talk about players at other teams. If Higuain comes here, I’ll have the pleasure of talking about him.

“It’s clear that there are players who I expect to be pillars and are big parts of our project, but in any case I expect that it’ll take some time for my concepts to be assimilated.

“I’m positive and optimistic. We’ll have a strong team.”

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