Atalanta and newly-promoted Monza are keen to give Stephan El Shaarawy some of the playing time he’s not getting at Roma.
The 29-year-old made 36 competitive appearances this season, contributing seven goals and one assist on the way to lifting the Europa Conference League trophy.
However, he started only 13 of those matches, eight of them in Serie A, so is frustrated at the lack of opportunities under Jose Mourinho.
According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, there is more than a possibility of a summer sale, as his contract only runs to June 2023.
Atalanta and Serie A newcomers Monza are the favourites to bring in the Little Pharaoh, who earned the nickname due to his mixed Italian-Egyptian heritage.
The former Genoa, Milan, AS Monaco and Shanghai Shenhua man came back to Roma as a free agent in January 2021.
Monza would be intriguing, as it was their President Silvio Berlusconi and CEO Adriano Galliani who first brought El Shaarawy to Milan in 2011.
Atalanta e Monza alla finestra per El Shaarawy. Ma dipende da Mou… #calciomercato https://t.co/sYYtGXGbuM
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) June 5, 2022
At 29, I can’t even remember when El Sha was a real first choice regular. Between the Europa petri dish conference meeting room cup and Serie A, he completed 90 minutes only twice. A move to Monza might seem like a big step down/risk, but he will most likely play week in week out.
A wasted talent with some great moments if he leaves.
He went to China — I would have also with that amazing financial offer — at the peak of his powers as Roma‘s best player and his whole career ended when he signed the Chinese contract.
Shadow of his old self.