West Ham veteran Pablo Zabaleta admits he almost joined AS Roma when leaving Manchester City.
Zabaleta spoke with Sky Italia about his connections with Italy.
He said, “When Roberto Mancini was at Manchester City, we had a fitness coach who didn't speak English, so I had to try to communicate with him in Italian and that's how I improved my grasp of the language.
“I was close to Roma two years ago. They had offered me a three-year contract. I thought it could be a great experience, but those were the years when Pep Guardiola had arrived in Manchester and he said that he wanted me there.
“After so many years at City, I made a choice with my heart and decided to remain. I have always thought that I'd enjoy an experience playing in Italy, though."
