95-goal former Manchester United man reveals Celtic transfer regret amid 'top three' Old Firm claim
The former Italy international has revealed how close he came to joining Celtic.
A former Italian international has opened up on his regret at not joining ‘historic’ Celtic after detailing how close he came to moving to the club during his playing career.
In a new in-depth interview, ex-Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi has addressed his failed move to Parkhead, and lifted the lid on why it remains one of his biggest career regrets.
The 38-year-old former striker scored 95 career goals and enjoyed successful stints with Villarreal and Fiorentina before his retirement in 2023. After beginning his career in the Old Trafford youth system, Rossi also went on to play for the Italy national team, scoring seven goals in 30 appearances for the Azzurri.
However, despite his success in Europe, the New Jersey-born hitman has explained why he is still disappointed a switch to Celtic Park never work out, as he opened up on his respect for the Old Firm derby and has encouraged players to consider the Scottish Premiership as a potential destination during the January transfer window.
"I had a chance to move to Celtic actually, back in the day,” Rossi told OLBG. “I was contemplating it a lot. It was definitely on my list to try as a new experience, to try something different. A team like Celtic has so much history and so much love and I think that’s great, and it would have been a great experience for me to go there. I think most players should try it.
"I remember playing for Genoa and their derby with Sampdoria was amazing to be part of. I really enjoyed that atmosphere. Villarreal and Valencia wasn't that crazy. It was good, but nothing crazy. Fiorentina don’t have any local derbies. They just have rivals like Juventus but it's not a real derby.
“I was at Manchester United but back then it wasn’t the [Manchester] City of today. Celtic and Rangers is top three in the world. You put it up there with Roma vs Lazio. That’s a crazy one to witness too. It would have been cool to play a part in an Old Firm derby."
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