Menez signs for Roma

| Sat, 08/30/2008 - 03:00

French soccer's rising star Jeremy Menez has moved from Monaco to AS Roma.

Roma said the four-year deal was worth 10.5 million euros plus another 1.5 if the Romans reach the Champions League in any of the next three seasons.

Menez will get 2.3 million euros in each of his first two years, rising to 2.5 million in 2010-2011 and 2.7 million in 2011-2012.

Menez, 21, completed medical tests Thursday afternoon and saluted fans with a shy 'Ciao' before closing the deal Thursday night.

The winger, who also likes a playmaking role, looks likely to start against Napoli in Roma's season opener on Sunday, especially now that skipper Francesco Totti is a serious doubt because of a last-minute ankle injury.

Brazilian Rodrigo Taddei is almost definitely out and winger Mauro Esposito is fighting to be fit.

Along with Brazil's Julio Baptista, recently signed from Real Madrid, Menez would complete a Roma front line-up depleted by the departure of Mancini to Inter Milan and Ludovic Giuly to Paris Saint-Germaine.

But Menez and Baptista will be competing for places, behind Totti and Mirko Vucinic, with Italy's Simone Perrotta and Alberto Aquilani.

Menez was the youngest-ever scorer of a hat-trick in the French league and also the youngest-ever recipient of its Player of the Month award.

He scored 34 goals for Monaco in the last two years and appeared once for France B last year.

Inter was reportedly among the clubs who wanted Menez but thought Monaco's reported asking price of 15 million euros was five million euros too high.

On Thursday night Roma also announced that CEO Rosella Sensi is taking on the post of chairman in place of her father who died last week.

Topic: