Roma capture Kuffour
Wednesday, June 8, 2005
Article summary
UEFA Cup-bound AS Roma have announced the signing of Ghana defender Samuel Kuffour from FC Bayern München.
Article body
Italian return
Kuffour, 28, returns to Italy after being brought to Europe by Torino Calcio when he was just 13. He subsequently joined Bayern from the Italian club in 1993. He has signed a three-year contract.
Bayern success
After a loan spell with 1. FC Nürnberg in 1996/97, Kuffour made his breakthrough in the Bayern first team. He was a key player when the Munich side won the UEFA Champions League by beating Valencia CF on penalties in 2001 and then scored the winning goal in the European/South American Cup as Bayern beat CA Boca Juniors 1-0 in Tokyo.
Personal honours
Voted Ghana's Footballer of the Year twice (1998 and 1999) and the second best footballer in Africa in 1999 and 2001, Kuffour is Roma's second summer signing after Brazilian winger Rodrigo Taddei, who arrived from AC Siena. Roma have secured a UEFA Cup place after winning through to the Coppa Italia final, where they will meet UEFA Champions League-bound FC Internazionale Milano on 12 and 15 June.