Everyone expected Gennaro Gattuso to make his return to Glasgow and play his twilight years for Rangers, but instead he chose FC Sion of Switzerland, at the pretense of being closer to home and not the financial benefits and security from such a move.
Gattuso missed most of the previous season due to an eye injury that many thought would result with the end of his career, but Gattuso wasn’t nicknamed ‘Brave heart’ by the Rangers fans 15 years ago for nothing. It was clear, however, that he won’t be part of the Milan setup, who got rid, in a nice way, of more than just one aging player at the end of last season.
34 Year old Gattuso, a World Champions with Italy and European champion with Milan, was rumored to be making a move to Rangers. The financial problems and general insecurity regarding’s the club’s future put him off the transfer to Scotland, instead setting his sights on Sion from Switzerland.
The Swiss club avoided relegation last season after being involved in the scandal with FIFA and UEFA or fielding inelgible players, which after a long legal debate led to the Swiss Federation reducing 36 points from Sion, which somehow managed to finish ahead of the last place and remain in the top flight after beating FC Arau in the relegation matches.
It’s not a question of money. One of the reasons why I chose FC Sion is because that it’s close to home. I’ve come here to FC Sion to win and to compete with FC Basel for the title. Sion’s president has promised that we will have a competitive squad, and so far it seems like it.
And as one high-caliber player, at least by name and record, made it’s way across the Italy-Switzerland border, it opens the door for maybe other aging Italian players without a team to make the swtich. Alessandro Del Piero perhaps?
Seems more like wishful thinking, but his name has been linked with the move. At Sion, their not admitting anything – The new Sion will be built around him. Gattuso immediately got on well with our President. Del Piero? It would be great to have him here, but let’s keep our feet on the ground.