Inter signing Nainggolan no longer felt important at Roma

Radja Nainggolan is ready for a “new adventure” at Inter after revealing he no longer felt important at Roma.

Inter shelled out an initial €38million to sign Nainggolan on a four-year contract on Tuesday, though with Davide Santon and Nicolo Zaniolo going the other way their net spend stands at €24m.

The 30-year-old will reunite with Luciano Spalletti, who he spent 18 months playing under at Stadio Olimpico, as Inter look to improve on a fourth-place finish in Serie A in 2017-18, while also preparing to take part in the Champions League for the first time since 2011-12.

Nainggolan, who retired from international duty for the second time in less than a year after being overlooked for Belgium’s World Cup squad, claimed he was motivated to move to the Nerazzurri after feeling a loss of faith in the capital.

“The most important thing for me is sensing people believe in me. I got a call from the sporting director [Piero Ausilio], the coach [Spalletti] and [vice-president Javier] Zanetti too,” he told Inter TV.

#WelcomeNinja ! @OfficialRadja ‘s first day as a Nerazzurri player!

https://t.co/g709AkFbDl #InterIsHere #FCIM pic.twitter.com/XVQjob5eE0

— Inter (@Inter_en) June 26, 2018

“They made me feel important, something I perhaps no longer felt at Roma, so it was an easy choice. Of course, I won’t forget the past, but I’m happy to start a new adventure. I’m really up for it.

“I think I had my best season under Spalletti and I hope to do just as well here. I’m here for the coach and happy to be working with him again.

“I hope we can do well both in Serie A and the Champions League because Inter have a proud history. Hopefully we’ll get back to those heights again now.”