Red Devils have Rossi buy-back option

Aug 1, 2007 - 1:52 PM By Simon Stone Special to PA SportsTicker

MANCHESTER, England (Ticker) - Manchester United has first refusal to buy back forward Giuseppe Rossi from La Liga side Villarreal.

Rossi has joined the Spanish side in an estimated $12 million deal after deciding he wanted more first-team opportunities than he was likely to get at the Red Devils this season.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson tried to persuade the 20-year-old to stay with United, but after scoring nine goals in 17 games to effectively keep Parma in Serie A last season, Rossi was anxious not to be in the Red Devils reserves.

Ferguson ensured he would be able to buy the New Jersey-born striker back should the need arise.

"We have put a clause in the contract, so maybe he will come back to us at some stage," Ferguson told MUTV. "We wish Giuseppe well and we know he will do well at Villarreal.

"It was a difficult decision to let him leave. I had several meetings with him to try to convince him he would get plenty of football with us this season and all he needed was a bit of patience. But, having been on loan last season, he wanted first-team football all the time."

Rossi has signed a six-year contract with Villarreal.