Vincenzo Montella has consistently included a release clause in his club contracts allowing him to depart for Roma, according to Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, president of the Turkish Football Federation. Haciosmanoglu revealed this detail in an interview with Fanatik, stating that the clause was a standard request from the manager regardless of the club.
Montella managed Roma for a brief period in 2011, taking over after Claudio Ranieri’s resignation and achieving a derby win alongside European qualification. Despite his relatively short tenure, he has frequently been linked with a return to the club, most notably in 2015. His strong connection to the club stems from his playing days, where he was a key figure in Roma’s Serie A title-winning team.
Haciosmanoglu further explained that this release clause did not apply to his role as the manager of the Turkish national team. He recounted an instance where Montella received an offer from Roma and requested permission to consider it, expressing his deep affection for the club. Montella was willing to potentially forego the Roma opportunity if the Turkish federation were to dismiss him following negative results in playoff matches.
Haciosmanoglu stated he reassured Montella of his continued support, saying he would remain in his position as long as Haciosmanoglu was president of the federation. This demonstrates Montella’s long-held desire to manage Roma, even at the expense of other opportunities. Currently, Montella is focused on leading Turkey at the upcoming World Cup, but the possibility of a future move to Roma remains open.
The situation highlights Montella’s enduring attachment to Roma, a club where he experienced significant success as a player, and his ambition to replicate that success from the managerial position.
