The former Roma teammates have reunited at Genoa, with De Rossi hoping to include El Shaarawy in his squad against Como despite the forward’s lengthy absence from team training.
Stephan El Shaarawy has reunited with Daniele De Rossi at Genoa after leaving Roma following nine seasons with the Giallorossi.
The pair were initially teammates in the Italian capital before De Rossi later coached El Shaarawy during his time in charge of Roma. Their paths have now crossed again in Liguria, where the former Roma captain is leading Genoa.
El Shaarawy joined the Rossoblù as a free agent after the conclusion of a long Roma spell. His departure was part of a busy summer in which the Giallorossi reshaped their squad while maintaining a positive estimated impact on the 2026/27 accounts.
De Rossi Celebrates El Shaarawy’s Genoa Return
Speaking ahead of Genoa’s match against Como, De Rossi expressed his happiness at welcoming El Shaarawy back to the club where the attacker began his professional career.
“I saw Stephan again and he looked well,” De Rossi said. “We met after dinner last night because he had to complete his medical examinations. I saw his parents and his brother, which made me happy.
“I’m delighted that he is here because it is a beautiful story, regardless of the ending—which we hope will be a happy one. It is a beautiful story because you are bringing home a son of these supporters, a son of this city and someone who loves these colours. That is never a bad idea.”
El Shaarawy developed in Genoa’s academy before making his senior debut for the club as a teenager. His return brings him back to Liguria 16 years after he departed for the next stage of his career.
El Shaarawy Could Immediately Join Genoa Squad
De Rossi acknowledged that El Shaarawy will require time to regain full match fitness after spending several months away from a first-team environment.
“He will certainly need to get back to 100% because he has been on honeymoon for five months,” De Rossi continued. “But he underwent his first physical measurements today and he is lean. He has kept himself in shape.
“Obviously, when you have not trained with a team, teammates or opponents for six months, you are missing something. However, he is a player who can give us a lot, even for 10 or 15 minutes.
“If everything is in order and the medical examinations are fine, I would like to bring him to the bench tomorrow. It may be premature and perhaps he will not come on, but I would like to have him with us.”
El Shaarawy Reunites With Former Roma Teammate
El Shaarawy and De Rossi shared the dressing room at Roma between 2016 and 2019. They later worked together when De Rossi returned to the club as head coach.
Their latest reunion carries particular significance because both men have strong connections to Genoa. De Rossi now has an experienced and versatile attacker who can operate from either flank or in a more central position.
For El Shaarawy, the move provides an opportunity to continue his career in Serie A while returning to the club and city where his journey began.
Roma, meanwhile, concluded the summer without adding the extra attacking winger requested by Gian Piero Gasperini. The club’s late efforts were among the major stories covered in the final Roma transfer roundup of the summer window.
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