Roma have confirmed the appointment of former captain Daniele de Rossi as their new manager following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
The Giallorossi relieved Mourinho of his duties on Tuesday morning after the Portuguese oversaw their worst start to a Serie A season for 21 years, leaving them ninth in the rankings after 20 games.
After reportedly failing with an approach for former Inter Milan and Juventus boss Antonio Conte, Roma quickly accelerated talks to bring club legend De Rossi back to Stadio Olimpico, and the 40-year-old's homecoming has now been announced.
De Rossi has signed a six-month contract until the end of the season and rejoins Roma following an illustrious 17-year senior playing career with the Giallorossi, in which he scored 63 goals and provided 60 assists in 616 appearances.
Only Francesco Totti (786) has played more matches for Roma than De Rossi, who won two Coppa Italias and one Supercoppa Italiana at Stadio Olimpico, while he was also a part of Italy's triumphant World Cup 2006 and Euro 2012 squads.
AS Roma are pleased to confirm that Daniele De Rossi has been appointed as head coach until 30 June 2024.
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) January 16, 2024
Welcome home, Daniele! 💛❤️
📄 https://t.co/7e6RgE4dmA#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/2GWqAEGnKY
"I would like to thank the Friedkin family for entrusting me with the responsibility of Roma's head coach role," De Rossi told the official Roma website.
"From my side, I know no other way but dedication, daily sacrifices, and giving everything I have in order to face the challenges that await us from now until the end of the season.
"The excitement of being able to sit on our bench is indescribable. Everyone knows what Roma means to me. However, the work that awaits us all has already taken precedence. We have no time or choice but to be competitive, fight for our goals, and try to achieve them, which are the only priorities my staff and I have set for ourselves."
After ending his lengthy association with Roma in 2019, De Rossi spent six months on the books at Boca Juniors before hanging up his boots in January 2020, after which he joined Roberto Mancini's Italy staff as a technical coach.
De Rossi's first managerial role came with Serie B outfit SPAL in the 2022-23 season, but he was sacked just 17 games into his reign, having only masterminded three wins during his time in charge.
© Reuters
Despite the 40-year-old's forgettable first foray into management, Roma owners Dan Friedkin and Ryan Friedkin believe that his "unbreakable bond" with the club will help ensure a successful second half of the season.
"We are happy to be able to hand over the managerial role of AS Roma to Daniele De Rossi, as we feel that the leadership and ambition that have always defined him can prove decisive in achieving the team's objectives until the end of the season," the Friedkin brothers added.
"We were aware of Daniele's unbreakable bond with the club, but his enthusiasm for accepting the position for the next few months convinced us even more of his ability to be a guide for the players and a proud representative of the club's values. Welcome home, Daniele."
De Rossi's first game in charge of Roma comes on Saturday, as the Giallorossi host Hellas Verona aiming to avoid a third successive defeat following losses to Lazio and AC Milan in the Coppa Italia and Serie A respectively.
The 40-year-old will also oversee the remainder of Roma's Europa League campaign, which recommences with a two-legged knockout-round playoff tie against Feyenoord next month.
Ben Knapton
