Claudio Ranieri has lauded Roma boss José Mourinho for brining Paulo Dybala to the capital.
The Argentina forward confirmed he is set to join the Giallorossi despite interest from Inter and Napoli after leaving Juventus when his contract expired.
And Roman-born Ranieri, who also managed the club on two occasions, was full of praise for Mourinho’s work in getting this deal done.
He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “First of all, I want to congratulate Mourinho. I think he put in a good word for the deal to go through.”
“Surely Dybala chose Roma also because they have Mourinho coaching them.”
Ranieri would not be drawn onto whether he felt Dybala could change Roma’s season aims, but he did suggest they could return to the Champions League for the first time since 2019.
He added: “And I don’t think it is fair of me to say which objectives Roma must now aim for,
“I will only say that with their potential I think Roma can qualify for the Champions League.”
Ranieri was Roma manager from 2009 to 2011 and again in 2019.
During his first spell with the club, he took them to within one point of Serie A glory and the final of the Coppa Italia in the 2009-10, only to be pipped in both competition’s by Mourinho’s Treble-winning Inter.