Highly-rated Italian forward, Stephan El Shaarawy, has today completed a loan move to AS Roma from Serie A rivals AC Milan.
Having spent the first half of the season on loan at AS Monaco, he will be hoping to stake a claim to a first team position at his parent club by playing for the Rome-based side.
Positive for everyone
Having been spotted at Fiumicino airport, the attacking midfielder told reporters that he was "fired-up, motivated and enthusiastic" about his impending spell at the club, who currently sit in fifth position in Serie A, one position ahead of his parent club.
It is expected that he will replace Gervinho in Rudi Garcia's squad, with the Ivorian moving to Chinese Super League outfit, Hebei China Fortune, in a lucrative deal.
El Sharaawy will be hoping that he will be able to rediscover his form of 2012, when he topped the Serie A scoring charts for much of that season. Injuries and speculation over his future have stunted his progression since then, especially during his spell at AS Monaco, so a move back to his native Italy makes sense.
Out of form and out of favour
At the principality club, the 23-year-old made 15 league appearances, failing to register any goals in the process, although he did find the net in each of Monaco's Europa League ties against Tottenham Hotspur.
As a result, he was phased out of the Monaco matchday squads before the beginning of the transfer window because, if he had made another appearance, Monaco would have been contractually obliged to sign him on a permanent deal.
Roma will certainly hope that the addition of El Shaarawy will be of benefit to them, as they haven't won in their last four league games. Furthermore, if they wish to seriously challenge for Champions League qualification, they must close the six point gap which lies between them and fourth place Internazionale.
The addition of the talented former Genoa man will surely only improve an already impressive attacking unit made up of the creative Miralem Pjanic, dynamic Mohamed Salah and experienced Edin Dzeko, especially if he is able to rediscover the form which had him touted as a potential star upon his breakthrough at AC Milan.