BATISTUTA HEADS FOR ROMA

By PA Sport Staff

Gabriel Batistuta has left Fiorentina after nine years to join Serie A rivals Roma in a #22million deal.

The deal was concluded on Monday night in Batistuta's home country of Argentina and confirmed by Fiorentina on Tuesday afternoon.

The fee for the 31-year-old striker, who is set to earn around #3million a year, is among the highest in world football history and certainly the greatest ever received for a player of such an age.

It finally brings to an end speculation linking him with Manchester United and Inter Milan.

Batistuta, who joined Fiorentina in 1991 from Argentinian side Boca Juniors, is the Italian club's leading post-war scorer with 166 league goals in 265 appearances.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2000

Answers

That's a mad amount of money for Batistuta. It's not like Roma are without striking options of their own and 22 million will eat into their flotation money.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2000

Isnt he a bit past it???

Wud Shearer be worth 22 million at 31 yrs old+wud u sell him?

Of course! ahem......

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2000

22 mills that they will never get back. They are cash rich owing to their very recent flotation but this looks like a bit of mad business.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2000

Aren't the sterling and lire symbols the same? It would make more sense in lire..;0)

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2000

A player who can score consistently in the 20's over 9 seasons in a league with only 34 fixtures can pretty well name his price. Serie A doesn't even pretend to balance the books anymore: the clubs are just the new penis-extensions for powerful backers. Lazio spent over 100mil on players ffs, just hope we don't go the same way.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2000

"Penis extensions". Hee heee. Priceless, Softie.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2000

Priceless Dougal???....damn :(( and I've been saving for years.....

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2000