Forward Mattia Destro said
Thursday that he has agreed to leave title-chasing AS Roma and
join struggling giants AC Milan.
The 23-year-old, who has scored 23 goals in 52 Serie A
appearances for Roma since 2012, is set to join Milan on loan
with an option for a permanent move at the end of the season,
reportedly for a transfer fee of around 16 million euros.
Roma and Milan agreed terms for the transfer earlier this
week.
Milan CEO Adriano Galliani came to Rome to convince the
tall, powerful player to agree to the move on Wednesday, with
photographers capturing the transfer wheeler-dealer humbly
ringing his bell to get an audience.
Destro, who has eight Italy caps and one goal for his
country, had been unable to nail down a regular starting slot
with second-placed Roma this season.
The striker, who had been linked to English sides Arsenal
and Chelsea, will beef up a Milan attack that could be without
Stephan El Shaarawy for the rest of the season due to a foot
injury.
"Thank you Roma, I was a little lad (when I arrived) and
you have made me big," Destro wrote on his Facebook page.
"In Rome I found love with a capital L. Now I'm off to
(Milan's training facility) Milanello for a new challenge, full
of conviction and determination".
Marche-born Destro is a product of third-tier Ascoli's
youth system.
He made his debut in Serie A with Genoa in 2010 and joined
Roma after spending the 2011-2012 season on loan at Siena.
Milan are 10th in Serie A and have no chance of winning
any silverware this season after being knocked out of the
Italian Cup by Lazio on Tuesday, leaving rookie coach Filippo
Inzaghi's job on the line.
Their main aim now is to haul themselves into the top five
to qualify for Europe's secondary club competition, the Europa
League.
They have also signed Italy winger Alessio Cerci on loan
from Atletico Madrid as part of a swap deal with Fernando
Torres.
Milan have signed former Genoa centre half Salvatore
Bocchetti, 28, from Spartak Moscow until the end of the season
too.
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