© EuroFootball.com
Nigerian national team forward Stephen Makinwa will represent Roma next season - the player moved to the Italian capital from Palermo and signed a four-year contract with the new club. Half of his rights will still belong to Palermo, but Lazio will have the opportunity to buy out the Nigerian fully for about 3 million euros.
The 23-year-old forward, who was also sought after by Torino and Atalanta clubs, wanted to reunite with coach Delio Rossi, under whom he shined in the 2004/05 season while playing for Atalanta and attracted the attention of bigger clubs.
"This deal was in the works for a long time, but I am happy to finally join my dream club. Lazio is a big club with a great history and I can't wait to play there - I just feel incredible joy. In the Lazio team, I will find Delio Rossi, a coach whom I have known since my time in Bergamo, and all that was an important factor in my decision. I owe a lot to Rossi, I spent only six months with him, but he is truly a coach who taught me the most, and now I am convinced that I will learn even more," said S. Makinwa.
Makinwa arrived in Italy from the Nigerian amateur team "Ebedei" and signed a contract with "Reggiana", later playing for "Conegliano", "Como", "Modena", "Genoa", and "Atalanta", before moving to Sicily last year for 7.5 million euros and signing a five-year contract with Palermo. Although the Sicilian club didn't want to let go of the player, and negotiations with Lazio were prolonged due to the club's temporary relegation to "Serie B", S. Makinwa eventually officially became a player of the Roma team and will soon join his teammates in preparing for the upcoming season.
