Etihad Stadium star heads back to Serie A.
Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts
Manchester City full-back Maicon has signed for Roma on a permanent deal for a fee in the region of £3million, reports The Guardian.
The 31-year-old only moved to the Etihad Stadium last summer from Inter Milan for an undisclosed fee under former manager Roberto Mancini.
But after a disappointing period in England where he made only 11 appearances, just four of them in the league, new City boss Manuel Pellegrini has decided to let the Brazil international return to Italy.
The switch to the Stadio Olimpico side was announced by City’s official website with the club saying: “Everyone at Manchester City wishes Maicon good luck at his new club.”
Maicon, who established himself as one of the leading defender in world football at the San Siro, found fierce competition from the exceptional Pablo Zabaleta at right-back in Mancini’s side and the defender will hope a return to Italy with Roma could revitalise his flagging career.
Pellegrini, announced at the weekend that the defender was no included in his plans for the new season and the Brazilian did not fly out to South Africa with the rest of the City squad for the pre-season tour. The former Malaga boss said after their defeat to SuperSport United: “Maicon didn’t come here to the pre-season and he will not be in the squad at Manchester City this year.”
Manchester City will be expecting some new arrivals shortly with the recruitment of Seville forward Alvaro Negredo for £24.5m due to be announced while discussions for Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic continue to progress.