Parma-Bound Frey Snubs Juve And Roma
Wednesday 4th July 2001
French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, who is all but certain to join Parma later this week, has revealed how he turned down both Juventus and Roma. "I believe I am moving up a level by joining Parma," the former Internazionale star said.
"A while ago I had contract talks with Juventus and Roma," Frey said, "but Parma are the team who wanted me most, and I'm delighted to be joining them."
Frey will move to Parma as a replacement for Gianluigi Buffon, who joined Juventus in a record �33 million deal on Wednesday.
But Frey is keen to stress that Buffon's departure will not harm the Reggio Emiliana club.
"The manager has assured me that he wants to build a big team," he said.
Frey joined Inter from Cannes in 1998 but was sent to Verona on loan after Inter acquired Angelo Peruzzi to replace Gianluca Pagliuca.
The Frenchman was one of the shining lights of a disappointing 2000-01 season for Inter, but when Champions' League qualification looked unlikely, he threatened to leave the club with Lazio, Juventus and Arsenal all said to be interested.
Parma had initially looked to Fiorentina keeper Francesco Toldo as a replacement for Buffon, and agreed a fee for both him and Portugal international Manuel Rui Costa last Friday, only for the players to reject the move.
Toldo now looks set to join Internazionale, where he will effectively replace Frey, although Inter coach Hector Cuper has also been linked with a move for Santiago Canizares, whom he coached at Valencia.
