Official: El Shaarawy returns to Genoa

Stephan El Shaarawy has completed a return to Genoa, the club he came through as a teenager and where he made his senior debut in the 2008/09 season.

According to the official club statement, Genoa have formalised the acquisition of the sporting rights to the forward, who arrives as a free agent after his Roma contract expired at the end of June.

The Savona-born forward had been without a club throughout the summer, with a move to Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia also reported as an option before he chose a return to Liguria.

El Shaarawy joins up with De Rossi at Genoa

He will now work under Daniele De Rossi, his team-mate at Roma for several seasons, at a club where he won Scudetto, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana honours at Primavera level before departing in 2010 for Padova.

Chief of Football Diego Lopez made clear the move had been driven by both parties. “We wanted Stephan badly and he wanted us badly. We know what he represents for this club and what this club represents for him. We’re happy to welcome him back to Genoa: with him we grow in class, experience and identity.”

El Shaarawy, who has 32 caps and seven goals for Italy and has passed 500 professional appearances, was equally emotional. “With Genoa I experienced my first joys as a professional, I lived my first emotions, and coming back to wear this shirt is a bit like a circle closing. Being home again fills me and my family with pride: Genoa is part of our DNA.”