Ranieri complains of lack of funds

ROME: While their major title rivls AC Milan and Inter Milan spent big during the January transfer window, Roma were remarkably quiet.

However, coach Claudio Ranieri insists that is not because they didn’t want to sign anyone but simply because they don’t have any money.

Milan brought in Antonio Cassano, Mark van Bommel, Urby Emanuelson and Didac Vila while Inter strengthened their roster with Giampaolo Pazzini, Houssine Kharja, Andrea Ranocchia and Japanese fullback Yuto Nagatomo.

But Ranieri moaned that the best his team can hope for is to get their injured players back to full fitness.

“They (Milan and Inter) were already better than us and they have more money to invest so they bought players,” he said.

“Right now we couldn’t even spare one penny.

“I hope that we won’t be penalised by this transfer window, soon we’ll have (David) Pizarro back, he should be training with us at the beginning of next week, and I also hope that Adriano will have a decisive contribution towards the end of the season by scoring several goals.”

Those lacking funds could soon become available, though, if Roma’s proposed sale goes through.

The current owners, including the Sensi family, UniCredit bank and Rothschild will evaluate five offers on Thursday.

But Ranieri does not feel that a change of owners will put his position under threat.

“I won’t give more to new owners, I’ve always given my best to everyone, for myself and for Roma’s players,” he said.

“It’s hard to prove yourself at 60, everyone should already know my strengths and faults.

“If I don’t feature in the new owners’ plans and they don’t keep, I’ll have given my all.”

However, referring to countryman Carlo Ancelotti’s £50mil signing of Fernando Torres at Chelsea, Ranieri said money counts.

“It’s clear that money counts, just look at the present Chelsea gave to my friend Ancelotti.”