Barcelona's Pep Guardiola was offered the Roma job during the summer, new Giallorossi director general Franco Baldini has noted.
The official revealed the news on Friday during his official presentation on his return to a role with the capital club.
Barcelona's Pep Guardiola was offered the Roma job during the summer, new Giallorossi director general Franco Baldini has noted.
The official revealed the news on Friday during his official presentation on his return to a role with the capital club.
"I had a word with Guardiola," stated Baldini. "I asked him if he fancied taking a step towards Roma. He responded by saying perhaps in a few years' time…"
After much pondering, Roma eventually decided to replace Vincenzo Montella with Barcelona B boss Luis Enrique.
"I liked him from the start," said the man who has worked alongside Fabio Capello for the English national side. "I instantly adored him as a person and the facts are proving me right.
"This is his first real experience, but he is talented and he has to make his own mistakes. He's going to be a great Coach.
"I want him to be that immediately and he has all the characteristics to do so. We now have to give him the elements to succeed."
Baldini was also inevitably questioned on Francesco Totti, after he labelled him as "lazy" in an interview, and the future of Daniele De Rossi whose deal expires in 2012.
"I didn't say he was lazy, I was talking about the laziness of being asked to take part in various initiatives," Baldini noted.
"These things won't be asked of him by us. We want to put him in a normal situation and it wasn't a criticism of him.
"I needed just five minutes with Francesco to clear things up.
"De Rossi? He's very serene and mature," added the former Real Madrid director. "I hadn't seen him for years.
"I told him that if he only has half of the desire to stay that we have in wanting him to stay then we'll agree a contract – no matter how long it takes.
"He seems orientated towards wanting to find a new agreement."