Roma forward Erik Lamela has underlined his desire to stay at the Stadio Olimpico despite rumoured interest from other clubs.
The striker netted 15 goals in 33 Serie A appearances last season, leading to speculation that the likes of Chelsea, Napoli or Real Madrid could make a swoop.
However, the Argentine insists he wants to stay at Roma, despite their failure to qualify for Europe in the last two seasons.
“Am I staying? Absolutely,” he told SportWeek. “In fact, I am even more determined to stay at Roma. I feel at home here, have formed a great rapport with the people and love the food here too.
“Buenos Aires is more chaotic, so Rome has given me a sense of calm. It is a marvellous city. I arrived here in the summer when it was really hot, so it was easy for me to settle.”
Roma lost the Coppa Italia final last season to city rivals Lazio, and Lamela pinpointed the intense rivalry between the two clubs as another reason for his happiness.
“The fans are also very ‘passionate’ in Buenos Aires, but there are so many teams in that city that opposition supporters almost always ignore you. There is no third way in Rome, as you’re either Giallorosso or Laziale,” he continued.
“People really are crazy about football here. I met a fan who had a tattoo of my autograph on his arm. That was too much!”
Lamela joined Roma from River Plate in 2011 and has since made 62 appearances in all competitions.
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