Daniele De Rossi snubs Manchester City to remain at Roma

Daniele De Rossi (Getty Images)

Italy international Daniel de Rossi today told a press conference he would be staying with Roma.

The 29-year-old had been strongly linked with a big-money move to Manchester City, with a reported €9m-per-year salary on the table from the Premier League champions.

Yet the combative midfielder today said that money was not a motivation and he had turned down City to remain loyal to Roma.

"I'm staying here. I'm happy here and I have never, never, asked to leave. People have written all sorts of things, about me, about Mancini. Some of it makes me laugh. Some of it makes me angry. I decided to talk today, but it wasn't my intention to talk about an offer from Manchester City," he said.

"This is a normal press conference for me, not the announcement of the Third World War. I can swear to you one thing: if I ever think about leaving, I'll come here in front of these microphones and speak, like a 30 year-old-man should do.

"I always told the truth, even when we were talking about money, never hiding anything. For me it's important to say my piece. I am here at Roma, I'm happy and never asked to leave."

De Rossi has spent his entire senior career at Roma, making his debut in 2001. He has long been coveted by fellow Italian Mancini, yet it appears the Manchester City manager will have to turn his attentions elsewhere.