Diego Perotti insists Radja Nainggolan “was just joking” when he claimed not to know if he was staying at Roma on social media.
Nainggolan appeared to cast doubt over his future at Roma in his Instagram reply to Kevin Strootman on Sunday, but the message was followed by laughter ‘emojis’ and Perotti was keen to draw attention to the latter.
Diego Perotti insists Radja Nainggolan “was just joking” when he claimed not to know if he was staying at Roma on social media.
Nainggolan appeared to cast doubt over his future at Roma in his Instagram reply to Kevin Strootman on Sunday, but the message was followed by laughter ‘emojis’ and Perotti was keen to draw attention to the latter.
“I’ve known Radja for a year and a half now, we like to have a joke with one another,” the winger said at a Press conference from the Giallorossi’s preseason training camp.
“[His Instagram post] was a joke, you can’t take it all seriously. They were jokes that we had between ourselves.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have gone public with them, but we were just joking.
"Monchi? I’m lucky to know Monchi very well. At Sevilla he made some amazing signings.
“He turned players who were not so well-known into important ones and sold them at a higher price than he bought them for.
“I have a lot of faith in him. This city may be different to Sevilla as there is less patience, but if he’s given the time he needs then he’ll build a competitive team.
“He’s just arrived and doesn’t speak the language yet, but I’m sure he’ll build a very good team.
“We’ll be playing in the Champions League, not the Europa League, and it’s the most important competition in the world.
“Important players have gone but purchases such as Karsdorp and Gonalons have come in. Monchi will have a great market.”