Roma’s Mattia Destro agreed to a loan move to AC Milan—with an option to buy—on Thursday, spurning reported interest from Arsenal and Chelsea to stay in Serie A, according to the Daily Star‘s Alex Harris.

As shared by BT Sport’s James Horncastle, the news was confirmed by Milan Channel, the club’s official TV network:

According to beIN Sports’ Tancredi Palmeri, Milan will pay Roma €700,000 for the initial loan deal with an option to make the move permanent included at €12 million. Those numbers favour the buying club, according to Palmeri:

Destro posted a message on his official Facebook (in Italian) to thank Roma fans for their support.

The Italy international rose to fame during the 2011-12 season with Sienna, catching the eye of a multitude of big clubs with a series of sterling performances and his tantalising potential.

The Giallorossi won the race for his signature and took a patient approach with his development, opting to sit the youngster on the bench and continue to start veteran Francesco Totti.

Destro quickly became an afterthought under new manager Rudi Garcia. He made just eight Serie A starts in the 2014-15 campaign, in which he scored five goals, according to WhoScored.com. That’s not a bad return for a player deemed unfit to be a regular starter, and GianlucaDiMarzio.com’s David Amoyal thinks Roma are making a mistake by parting with the forward:

He also noted Destro has an interesting link to his new club, as he used to play for city rivals Inter Milan, just like former star striker Mario Balotelli:

The Rossoneri have underperformed so far this season, and manager Filippo Inzaghi is desperate to add some quality to a squad filled with aging veterans and stars not living up to their potential.

The injury to Stephan El Shaarawy likely made the decision to chase another forward a lot easier, per Football Italia.

The club’s recent struggles—perhaps best illustrated by the controversial clash against Lazio that saw defender Philippe Mexes grab an opponent by the throat, per beIN Sports—suggest the San Siro might not be the best surroundings for Destro, according to StatsBomb’s Ted Knutson:

However, his talent is undeniable. With Milan desperate to improve their current run of form, Destro will likely receive every opportunity to start immediately.

Consistent minutes could finally unlock the potential that had Roma buzzing when they brought him in from Sienna, which in turn would aid Milan’s push for a top-five finish and a ticket for the Europa League. 

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