Keita signs new Roma deal
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| AFP |
Roma have rewarded Seydou Keita following his strong first season at the club with a new one-year deal, the Serie A club announced.
The 35-year-old midfielder joined Roma as a free agent last summer and scored two goals in 26 league appearances to help the Giallorossi finish runners-up to Italian champions Juventus in the 2014/15 domestic campaign. The Mali international's previous deal had expired on 30 June.
A statement from Roma read: "AS Roma announces that it has signed a new contract with Seydou Keita to keep the player at the club for the 2015/16 season."
Keita, who began his professional career at Ligue 1 side Marseille and won La Liga three times and the Champions League twice with Barcelona from 2008 until 2012, is delighted to continue at the club.
"I rejected some huge offers because this club and the fans here have always shown me so much love and respect," he said on the club's official website. "I'm at a very important stage of my career and I'm happy to sign on with Roma.
"It's true that money is important but at my age love and respect are important too. We're starting out on a season and I hope it's better than last year, both on a personal level and for the club."
Keita believes that Roma have enough quality to challenge Juventus for the Scudetto in the 2015/16 campaign.
"(Last season) We finished second but the club always wants to win and we players have to go one better if we want to improve on last year," he said.
"We have to get up on a par with Juventus while competing with the other big teams like AC Milan, Inter and Napoli. Roma want to be right up there in the mix. It won't be easy but we have to do better than last season."