Former Manchester United and Premier League starlet Giuseppe Rossi believes that only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were superior to him during a prolific spell in La Liga.
There was a time, before that injury curse struck down one of the most naturally-talented centre-forwards of his generation, when it seemed almost inconceivable that Giuseppe Rossi would not reach the very pinnacle of the European game.
The New Jersey-born former Italy international scored 82 goals in just five seasons at Villarreal after all. A staggering 32 coming during 2010/11 alone.
Now, speaking to Sky Italia a decade on, the one-time Manchester United whizzkid cannot help but wonder what might have been before the treatment table become something of a second home.
A torn ACL cost him a place at Euro 2012, before another knee injury in 2014, and then another ACL injury in 2017.
Giuseppe Rossi started out at Manchester United
“I was close to signing for Barcelona. Everything was done,” Rossi recalls. “But Villarreal wanted a fixed part higher than the bonuses. And then I was also close to Juventus. I missed out because Villarreal had already sold (Santi) Cazorla (to Arsenal) and didn’t want to give me away too.
“That year, I was only behind Messi and Ronaldo. It was fantastic. Everything was fine. I felt really good.
“Injuries? During those periods, you can understand your human value.”
He scored four goals in 14 goals for Manchester United, one against Sunderland, and the rest in cup games, two against Burton Albion and another against Barnet.
He was prolific for the academy, but breaking into the team during the 2006-09 era of dominance for United was a tall order.
Rossi had huge potential
Rossi joined Manchester United from Parma in 2004. And such was his considerable potential, the news of Rossi’s £6.6 million move to Villarreal three years later came as a genuine surprise in some quarters, despite an admittedly difficult loan spell at Newcastle United.
Quick, agile and an emphatic finisher at his very best, Rossi would eventually swap Villarreal for Fiorentina and scored 16 goals in just 19 Serie A starts during 2013/14.
Things would never be the same, however, with injuries taking their toll on what could have been a glittering career. Rossi eventually retired a couple of months ago after bouncing around the likes of Genoa, Levante and Real Salt Lake.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/5ehSlq0