Bologna starlet Riccardo Orsolini insists he never asked to leave, despite offers from Lazio, Torino and Fiorentina.

The 24-year-old is under contract with the Rossoblu until June 2024 but had many chances to leave this summer.

“I received offers from Torino, Lazio and Fiorentina, had I asked to leave, the club would not force me to stay,” the Italian winger told Il Corriere dello Sport.

Fiorentina were on the lookout for a new right-winger with both Orsolini and Domenico Berardi on their shopping list.

“I never asked to leave, nor I thought about leaving,” Orsolini continued.

“On the contrary, I appreciated the fact that Bologna refused big-money offers for me, it means they trust me. After Tomiyasu’s sale, I was sure I would stay, I even turned off the phone,” he admitted.

Mihajlovic ‘expected’ Tomiyasu sale

Japan international Takehiro Tomiyasu joined Arsenal in a €23m deal on the deadline day. He had been close to signing Tottenham earlier in the summer, but Spurs failed to reach an agreement with the Rossoblu.

“We knew he could leave, but we didn’t really know who would have stayed over the summer,” Orsolini continued.

“Tomi was an important player for us, but De Silvestri will do well, he’s had an excellent start.”

The former Torino right-back scored a brace in Bologna’s opening Serie A game of the season against Salernitana and Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side have four points after the first two league games against the Granata and Atalanta.

Orsolini joined Bologna on a permanent €15m deal from Juventus in 2019 after a six-month loan spell at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

He has 29 goals and 19 assists in 123 appearances with the Rossoblu. He made his senior Italy debut in November 2019 and has scored two goals in two appearances with the Azzurri.

 

 

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