El Shaarawy: It's like I've never been away!

The Italy international, who scored 40 goals in 139 appearances in his first stint for the club, is once again back and ready to show off his skills for Roma.

And he cannot wait to pick up where he left off.

“I'm very excited, just like I was in 2016," El Shaarawy said.

"I'm very happy to be back. It was quite a long wait but I'm happy it's all worked out well. I have to thank the president of course, the general manager Tiago Pinto and the coach above all.

"Pinto and [Paulo] Fonseca were the two people who showed great interest in me right from the start. They clearly wanted me in the team and that was a key factor. I'm really fired up, motivated and excited about writing a new chapter of my career at Roma."

How did it feel to be back in Trigoria?

“It was almost as if I hadn't been away. The love was always there. The fans have showed me that and I saw it the previous transfer windows. That made me feel very proud. Now of course I have to repay all that love and faith in me with my performances but I really am delighted to be back at this club.

“I've always said that Rome was much more than just somewhere I played football. The city becomes a part of you because the people are so kind and passionate. Recently I've felt a strong desire to return and as I said I'm grateful to the general manager and the coach for wanting me here and to my brother for making the move happen. It's time to start again and I can't wait.”

Did you stay in touch with your old Roma team-mates while you were away?

“Yes, I stayed in touch with my old team-mates, especially with Lorenzo [Pellegrini]. I think this team has huge potential and one thing you can see from the outside is they help each other. That's crucial, especially in the difficult times, like the last few weeks have been. I believe Fonseca is a great coach. We're still third in the league and we can achieve great things.”

How did this move back to Roma come about?

“I spoke to Pinto over the past month and he showed great interest in me. He was another one who really wanted to bring me to Roma. He showed how much he believed in me. I've thanked him but I have to thank him on the pitch. My goal now is to get back to my best as quickly as possible so that I can help the team.”

How do you feel fitness-wise?

“I haven't trained with a team for a few months so I'll need a bit of time to reach full fitness but I tried to train as much as possible on my own. I worked with a fitness coach so that I could stay in shape while I wasn't playing. Now I'll speak to the coaching staff to draw up a training plan.”

What are your goals now?

“My goals are first of all to perform well for Roma and qualify for the Champions League, which has to be our priority. I also hope to play at the Euros. Over the coming months I'll be focused firstly on Roma but also on getting called up for Italy.”

Do you have a message for the Giallorossi fans?

“I've felt so much love from the fans on social media and the last time I was at the stadium, for a Europa League match in February. They made their feelings clear. I hope they can return to the stadium as soon as possible because we really need them.”

"This city becomes a part of you, because of the passion and kindness of the people..."

- El Shaarawy