WORLD Cup winner Leandro Paredes returned to Roma on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023 signing a two-year deal with the Serie A club.
Paredes joins from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of around 4 million euros (US$4.4 million) and the Argentina midfielder will wear the iconic No. 16 shirt that previously belonged to retired Roma legend Daniele De Rossi.
“I never would’ve allowed it to happen without Daniele’s permission,” Paredes said. “He sent me a message to say he would be thrilled for me to wear that number.”
Paredes was teammates with De Rossi during his first spell at Roma.
“Coming back to Rome is always a special thing, but doing so now as a Roma player is even more special,” Paredes said. “I’d like to thank the fans for welcoming me and Roma for bringing me back to the club where I launched my career in Europe.
“Last year was an incredibly happy one for me with the World Cup, so now I want to keep tasting success and I’m convinced I can do just that with this team.”
Having come through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors, Paredes joined Roma in 2014 following a brief spell at Chievo Verona.
He spent two seasons in the Italian capital, either side of a season-long loan at Empoli, before moving to Zenit St. Petersburg and then PSG. The 29-year-old Paredas spent last season on loan at Juventus, which would have had the obligation to buy the player for 22.6 million euros ($24.7 million) if certain—unspecified—objectives had been met.
“As soon as he heard that we were interested, Leandro made it clear that his target was to return to Roma,” Roma general manager Tiago Pinto said. “His strong willpower made us even more convinced that we should bring him back to the Giallorossi and we’re delighted to see him back in Roma colors.
“Ever since his first stint here, he has matured and gained international experience, combined with his knowledge of Italian soccer and his technical attributes, we’re sure this will all prove to be crucial and strengthen our squad.”
Paredes helped PSG to three Ligue 1 titles, two French Cup triumphs and one French League Cup.
He also won the Copa América with Argentina in 2021 as well as the World Cup last year. (AP)