Cagliari president Massimo Cellino has announced that winger Mauro Esposito is on his way to Roma in a co-ownership deal.

"Esposito told me that he would have stayed at Cagliari forever, but playing for Roma was a great opportunity and I didn't have the courage to say no," Cellino told La Politica nel Pallone.

"Roma said they could not do anything insane to sign him and we had already reached a verbal agreement for David Suazo, so we decided to find a solution suitable for all of us.

"Players like Esposito have stayed in Cagliari because of their affection and not for the money. Esposito earns £280,000 a year and has never asked for an increase, I felt I owed him something."