Fabio Borini
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Not everybody was convinced that a return to Italy was the right move for Fabio Borini. “I know he had sorted out the Parma deal before he knew whatwas going on,” announced the Swanseacaptain Gary Monkfollowing his team’s promotion to the Premier League last summer. “But I’msure ifhe knewwhatwe would achieve, it would have made him think twice.”
Monk mayberight;BorinicontinuestospeakfondlyofEnglishfootball and,had the forward known at the outset that staying at Swanseawould mean havingthe chance to start for a Premier League side, it is possible thathe would have given it greater consideration. Then again, today the propositionmighteasilybe reversed. Had Monk known what Borini would achieve in Italy, he probably would have thought twice about making such a statement.
As bright as Swansea’s first season in the Premier League has been, it is hard to imagine Borini’s star ascending more swiftlythanithas since his returntoItaly. Eight months on from Monk’s comments, Borini is the leadingscorer ona Roma team that sit sixth in Serie A and is receiving seriousconsiderationfor Italy’s Euro 2012 squad. Cesare Prandelli, manager of the nationalteam,handedthe player his first cap in the defeat to USA a fortnight ago and was impressed with what he saw.
Not bad for a player who dropped down a division to play with Swanseainthe Championship last March out of desperation for first-team football. Spirited awayfrom Bologna’s youth system by Chelsea at the ageof 16, Borini had managed four Premier League appearances in four years with the Londonclub; the longest was a 19-minute cameoat Portsmouth.He was determinedtosee out the final months of his Chelsea contract on loan with the Swans before returning to Italy, quietly agreeing terms on a contract with Parma.
No sooner had he arrived, however, than he was on the move again, loaned out to Roma on the final day of the transfer window. To the outside world his move appeared as an afterthought, a footnote to a busy summer for Roma whose new owners had announced their arrival with high-profile moves for Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, Bojan Krkic and Erik Lamela. But to Borini it was a calculated manoeuvre. “[Franco] Colomba wants to play at Parma with one striker plus [Sebastian] Giovinco,” he said. “Luis Enrique always uses threeattackers. Where do I have more chance of playing?”
He mightalso have been swayed by Enrique himself. There was a lot of comment over the summer on the bold new approach of a manager who strutted around the Trigoria training complexwith iPadinhand,but his most radical innovation mighthave beenthe simplest:a willingness togive young players a chance.On manyoccasions this season has Enrique insisted that“Idon’tlookatplayers’ID cards”. Few managers could honestly say the same in whathas consistentlybeen amongthe oldestleagues inEurope.
Nevertheless, Borini was only a fringe player over the first half of the season, appearing in seven league games but only once for the full90 minutes before suffering a thigh injury at the end of October thatwould keep him outfor the remainder of the calendar year.He had scoreda single goalfor Roma uptothat point. Osvaldo led the team with seven.
But as Borini returned to training and Roma returned from their winter break, Osvaldo went down with a thigh injury of his own. Supporters fearedthe worst, but Borini seized his opportunity. A goal in his first game back against Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia was followed up by another against Cesena inthe next match.He quicklybecame a fixtureofEnrique’s first XI, the loan upgraded to a co-ownership deal that will keep Borini at Roma untilatleast2013.
The goals continued to flow. Borini’s winner against Palermo on Saturday was his fourth goal in as many league games, and his eighth in the last10. While his overall tally of nine goals this season might not look so impressive when set against rivals elsewhere in the league, it is also worth bearing in mind how much less time he’s enjoyed on the pitch. Borini’s scoring rate stands at one goalfor every 122 minutes played. Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Di Natale have struck more regularlyand, unlike Borini, both taketheir teams’penalties.
So effective has he been, indeed, that the newspaper Il Messagerofelt compelled to publish an editorial this week protesting thathe was covering for the rest of the team. “Thanks to a 21-year-old from Emilia-Romagna,the problems up front are not being seen,” protested Ugo Traini, notingthatOsvaldo was yet to score since his return from injury (partly because he has since picked up a suspension) while Francesco Totti, Bojan and Lamela have failed topickup the slack. “It would be wrong to play down the problem.”
Others, though, have chosen to focus on a rather more subtle dynamic,claiming that Borini himself has become a divisive figure. On the pitchhe isa perfect team-mate. He’s bynomeans the most technically gifted player in the side, but he makes upfor any shortcomings by running himself into the ground, tracking back to help out defensively with a gusto that prompted Corriere dello Sport to approvingly deem him an “attacanteall’inglese” – anEnglish-style attacker.
Off the pitch though, a perception exists that his goody two-shoes demeanour maybedoinghimnofavours. Asked about Enrique’s decisiontodropDaniele De Rossi for a game following the midfielder’s late arrival for a teammeeting,Borini noted that the same couldnever happen to him because “I always arrive for meetings 20 minutes early”.His subsequentno-show for a teamdinner organised by players to raise morale after the latest Rome derbydefeatwas interpreted in some quarters as further evidence of his outsider status.
It was ever thus in Rome, of course, where the sheer volume of mediaoutlets covering both teams ensures endless speculationof this variety. Another reading of the situation mightnote that De Rossi, too, was among a number of other players to miss the event and that Borini did excuse his absence with a message explaining that he had alreadymadeplans with some friends visiting from Bologna. On the other hand, others still would note thathe alsomisseda similar get-together after the draw with JuventusinDecember.
In the end, only his team-mates can truly know their feelings towards Borini (though reporters nevertheless spent countless words this Sundayon their own interpretations of the amountoftime it took for certain players to jog over and congratulate him on his goal). The supporters care not. As long as theyare getting to see Borini himself celebrate each week in trademark fashion—hand across his mouth to signify a dagger between his teeth—then theywillhappily leave the speculation to everyone else. Gary Monk included.
Monk mayberight;BorinicontinuestospeakfondlyofEnglishfootball and,had the forward known at the outset that staying at Swanseawould mean havingthe chance to start for a Premier League side, it is possible thathe would have given it greater consideration. Then again, today the propositionmighteasilybe reversed. Had Monk known what Borini would achieve in Italy, he probably would have thought twice about making such a statement.
As bright as Swansea’s first season in the Premier League has been, it is hard to imagine Borini’s star ascending more swiftlythanithas since his returntoItaly. Eight months on from Monk’s comments, Borini is the leadingscorer ona Roma team that sit sixth in Serie A and is receiving seriousconsiderationfor Italy’s Euro 2012 squad. Cesare Prandelli, manager of the nationalteam,handedthe player his first cap in the defeat to USA a fortnight ago and was impressed with what he saw.
Not bad for a player who dropped down a division to play with Swanseainthe Championship last March out of desperation for first-team football. Spirited awayfrom Bologna’s youth system by Chelsea at the ageof 16, Borini had managed four Premier League appearances in four years with the Londonclub; the longest was a 19-minute cameoat Portsmouth.He was determinedtosee out the final months of his Chelsea contract on loan with the Swans before returning to Italy, quietly agreeing terms on a contract with Parma.
No sooner had he arrived, however, than he was on the move again, loaned out to Roma on the final day of the transfer window. To the outside world his move appeared as an afterthought, a footnote to a busy summer for Roma whose new owners had announced their arrival with high-profile moves for Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, Bojan Krkic and Erik Lamela. But to Borini it was a calculated manoeuvre. “[Franco] Colomba wants to play at Parma with one striker plus [Sebastian] Giovinco,” he said. “Luis Enrique always uses threeattackers. Where do I have more chance of playing?”
He mightalso have been swayed by Enrique himself. There was a lot of comment over the summer on the bold new approach of a manager who strutted around the Trigoria training complexwith iPadinhand,but his most radical innovation mighthave beenthe simplest:a willingness togive young players a chance.On manyoccasions this season has Enrique insisted that“Idon’tlookatplayers’ID cards”. Few managers could honestly say the same in whathas consistentlybeen amongthe oldestleagues inEurope.
Nevertheless, Borini was only a fringe player over the first half of the season, appearing in seven league games but only once for the full90 minutes before suffering a thigh injury at the end of October thatwould keep him outfor the remainder of the calendar year.He had scoreda single goalfor Roma uptothat point. Osvaldo led the team with seven.
But as Borini returned to training and Roma returned from their winter break, Osvaldo went down with a thigh injury of his own. Supporters fearedthe worst, but Borini seized his opportunity. A goal in his first game back against Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia was followed up by another against Cesena inthe next match.He quicklybecame a fixtureofEnrique’s first XI, the loan upgraded to a co-ownership deal that will keep Borini at Roma untilatleast2013.
The goals continued to flow. Borini’s winner against Palermo on Saturday was his fourth goal in as many league games, and his eighth in the last10. While his overall tally of nine goals this season might not look so impressive when set against rivals elsewhere in the league, it is also worth bearing in mind how much less time he’s enjoyed on the pitch. Borini’s scoring rate stands at one goalfor every 122 minutes played. Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Di Natale have struck more regularlyand, unlike Borini, both taketheir teams’penalties.
So effective has he been, indeed, that the newspaper Il Messagerofelt compelled to publish an editorial this week protesting thathe was covering for the rest of the team. “Thanks to a 21-year-old from Emilia-Romagna,the problems up front are not being seen,” protested Ugo Traini, notingthatOsvaldo was yet to score since his return from injury (partly because he has since picked up a suspension) while Francesco Totti, Bojan and Lamela have failed topickup the slack. “It would be wrong to play down the problem.”
Others, though, have chosen to focus on a rather more subtle dynamic,claiming that Borini himself has become a divisive figure. On the pitchhe isa perfect team-mate. He’s bynomeans the most technically gifted player in the side, but he makes upfor any shortcomings by running himself into the ground, tracking back to help out defensively with a gusto that prompted Corriere dello Sport to approvingly deem him an “attacanteall’inglese” – anEnglish-style attacker.
Off the pitch though, a perception exists that his goody two-shoes demeanour maybedoinghimnofavours. Asked about Enrique’s decisiontodropDaniele De Rossi for a game following the midfielder’s late arrival for a teammeeting,Borini noted that the same couldnever happen to him because “I always arrive for meetings 20 minutes early”.His subsequentno-show for a teamdinner organised by players to raise morale after the latest Rome derbydefeatwas interpreted in some quarters as further evidence of his outsider status.
It was ever thus in Rome, of course, where the sheer volume of mediaoutlets covering both teams ensures endless speculationof this variety. Another reading of the situation mightnote that De Rossi, too, was among a number of other players to miss the event and that Borini did excuse his absence with a message explaining that he had alreadymadeplans with some friends visiting from Bologna. On the other hand, others still would note thathe alsomisseda similar get-together after the draw with JuventusinDecember.
In the end, only his team-mates can truly know their feelings towards Borini (though reporters nevertheless spent countless words this Sundayon their own interpretations of the amountoftime it took for certain players to jog over and congratulate him on his goal). The supporters care not. As long as theyare getting to see Borini himself celebrate each week in trademark fashion—hand across his mouth to signify a dagger between his teeth—then theywillhappily leave the speculation to everyone else. Gary Monk included.
Good postulating my fellow namesake 😉
i would have thought that its a inter changing front 3, hence why he unfortunately wants dempsey. Carroll will be on the bench.
i haven't got a clue about this lad. can someone give me a summary? been away for a couple of weeks.
Where you been Skulls?
A Liverpool fan could say the same about Carroll and Dempsey
havana
Fab deal: Liverpool agree £12m fee with Roma for Fabio Borini
The Italian international is set to become Brendan Rodgers first signing since he took over at Anfield
This way to Anfield! Fabio Borini is set to move to Liverpool
The Italian is expected to complete the move by the weekend, after the deal was sealed when the English club offered Roma a swift profit on their investment in the young striker.
It is something of a coup for the Reds and their new manager, with Borini considered the rising star of Italian football, after a fine first season in Serie A concluded with his inclusion in the national squad for Euro 2012.
Rodgers knows the 21 year old well, after first coaching him in the Chelsea youth team, and then taking him on loan at Swansea - where he had a dramatic impact by helping the Welsh club to get promoted to the Premier League.
Borini was regarded as a rich prospect by Chelsea who signed him from Bologna as a 16-year-old, but they lost him to Parma last summer, when he exercised his right to move after reaching the end of his contract.
But before even kicking a ball in anger for Parma he was loaned out to Roma, who then bought a half stake in the striker after he impressed in the early part of the season.
Borini produced a strike rate of one goal in two games to win his first Italy cap and secure his place in the squad for Euro 2012.
Rodgers feared his move for the young forward would be scuppered by the complications of joint ownership, but Roma removed that hurdle by buying out Parma, to take their investment in the player to close on £6million.
Now the Reds have agreed to double that fee to ensure Rodgers gets the striker he wants to get his Anfield revolution off to a flying start.
The arrival of Borini could signal the end of Andy Carroll's Liverpool career, with the big striker likely to be loaned out to AC Milan, though West Ham have also expressed an interest in the centre forward.
We asked Serie A expert Mina Rzouki to give us the lowdown on Borini and what Liverpool are getting for their money
The Italian international is set to become Brendan Rodgers first signing since he took over at Anfield
Getty
Liverpool have agreed a £12million fee to make Fabio Borini the first signing of new boss Brendan Rodgers' Anfield revolution.The Italian is expected to complete the move by the weekend, after the deal was sealed when the English club offered Roma a swift profit on their investment in the young striker.
It is something of a coup for the Reds and their new manager, with Borini considered the rising star of Italian football, after a fine first season in Serie A concluded with his inclusion in the national squad for Euro 2012.
Rodgers knows the 21 year old well, after first coaching him in the Chelsea youth team, and then taking him on loan at Swansea - where he had a dramatic impact by helping the Welsh club to get promoted to the Premier League.
Borini was regarded as a rich prospect by Chelsea who signed him from Bologna as a 16-year-old, but they lost him to Parma last summer, when he exercised his right to move after reaching the end of his contract.
But before even kicking a ball in anger for Parma he was loaned out to Roma, who then bought a half stake in the striker after he impressed in the early part of the season.
Borini produced a strike rate of one goal in two games to win his first Italy cap and secure his place in the squad for Euro 2012.
Rodgers feared his move for the young forward would be scuppered by the complications of joint ownership, but Roma removed that hurdle by buying out Parma, to take their investment in the player to close on £6million.
Now the Reds have agreed to double that fee to ensure Rodgers gets the striker he wants to get his Anfield revolution off to a flying start.
The arrival of Borini could signal the end of Andy Carroll's Liverpool career, with the big striker likely to be loaned out to AC Milan, though West Ham have also expressed an interest in the centre forward.
We asked Serie A expert Mina Rzouki to give us the lowdown on Borini and what Liverpool are getting for their money
not really,
Isn't 12 million a bit on the cheap side for the rising star of Italian football? Roma seem all to happy to flog him off. Maybe I am just too suspicious after our previous deals with Italian clubs....
Nah you're just too used to us getting ripped off 😀
We know exactly what type of player we are getting. Kinda reminds me of the italian version of kuyt with his work rate and stuff. Better first touch though.
Dont FSG own Roma. How does that transfer work?
Ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
http://www.empireofthekop.com/anfield/2011/09/09/in-bed-with-the-ultras-fsg’s-stealth-raid-on-italy/
They dont..... but they do.
They dont..... but they do.
It must be true the Daily Posy have it,
LIVERPOOL FC have agreed a fee with Roma over the transfer of Italy international striker Fabio Borini.
The two clubs have been locked in talks after Brendan Rodgers earmarked the 21-year-old as the first signing of his Anfield tenure.
Now Borini and his representatives will hold talks with Liverpool officials ahead of his much-anticipated move to Merseyside.
The forward, who was part of Italy's squad for the recent Euro 2012 finals, worked under Rodgers both at Chelsea's Academy and at Swansea City.
Borini scored six goals in 12 appearances at the South Wales club towards the end of the 2010-11 season and helped them win promotion to the Premier League.
Roma had only part-owned Borini until recently, when they paid Serie A counterparts Parma almost £4m to take over sole ownership of the player's registration.
LIVERPOOL FC have agreed a fee with Roma over the transfer of Italy international striker Fabio Borini.
The two clubs have been locked in talks after Brendan Rodgers earmarked the 21-year-old as the first signing of his Anfield tenure.
Now Borini and his representatives will hold talks with Liverpool officials ahead of his much-anticipated move to Merseyside.
The forward, who was part of Italy's squad for the recent Euro 2012 finals, worked under Rodgers both at Chelsea's Academy and at Swansea City.
Borini scored six goals in 12 appearances at the South Wales club towards the end of the 2010-11 season and helped them win promotion to the Premier League.
Roma had only part-owned Borini until recently, when they paid Serie A counterparts Parma almost £4m to take over sole ownership of the player's registration.
'kinell Ryan, 87% from thee - that is like 200% in real terms
Just waiting for Spurs to come in and offer him more wages now.
That is good news, its always a bummer when the opposition fans think its a good deal.
Having said that most Villa fans were gutted when Stuart Fucking Downing left
Having said that most Villa fans were gutted when Stuart Fucking Downing left
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