Sawt Falasteen - De Rossi signs new Roma deal until 2027

Roma had already said in April that De Rossi would remain first team coach "for the foreseeable future", with Tuesday's announcement only confirming the three-year extension to the 40-year-old's deal.

Former Roma captain De Rossi came in as interim boss when Mourinho was sacked in January and initially revitalised the team, taking the capital club to the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Roma finished last season sixth in Serie A and outside the Champions League positions, a disappointing end to a season which looked to have turned around once De Rossi took over.

However he has shown promise for someone whose only previous managerial job was an ill-fated four months at lower-league outfit SPAL which came to an abrupt end in February last year.

De Rossi, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, is an idol for Roma fans as a local boy done good who starred in some of the club's best teams of the last two decades, alongside fellow icon Francesco Totti.

He grew up in a rough and ready beachside suburb of Rome, made his Roma debut in 2001 and won over fans who saw in his passionate style of play one of their own on the pitch.

However he only won two Italian Cups and the 2007 Italian Super Cup, before finishing his playing career at Boca Juniors in early 2020 after less than a season in Argentina.

L.AbuTayeh--SF-PST