Artem Dovbyk details reasons for joining Roma: “This is the right club for me.”

Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk discussed the reasons behind his decision to join Roma as well as early days in the Italian capital.

In the latest interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Dovbyk said, “I decided to join Roma after talking to Dan Friedkin.”

He continued, “I had good feelings, he made me feel important, telling me what he expected from me. But I also spoke with De Rossi and Ghisolfi, it was important to have their feedback.”

“In the past I had never spoken to the owners of the club and this was important. They explained the long-term project to me. I believe in them and they in me. Roma is investing a lot, they want to do great things. I know the future will be bright for us,” he added.

“How does it feel to take over Lukaku’s place? Romelu is one of the greatest center forwards in Europe. But I’m not the new Lukaku, but Artem Dovbyk. I want to do my best and for people to appreciate me for what I can do.”

“The seasons are long, sometimes you play well and sometimes badly. There are times when everything goes perfectly and people adore you and others when criticism comes. But you have to know how to manage them. Football without pressure is not football.”

“This is the right club for me, it has ambition and hunger. And then there is a beautiful stadium, a wonderful city and a fantastic fan base. I had only been to Rome once, during the last European Championship. But it was the time of the coronavirus, and then I was in the national team. I was there for three days, I only saw some things. I’ll make up for it soon.”

“Being La Liga’s top goal-scorer?  I have to thank Girona, my teammates and the coach who believed in me. At the beginning of the season no one would have bet on the fact that I could do it, but instead I proved that in football everything is possible. I also want thank my family.”

“Lazio? Everyone knows how important the derby is, both for the fans and for the club. I can only promise that I will give my all to win this match.”

“I have a number of goals to score in my head for this season, but I won’t say it. We must return to the Champions League: it is a very important objective, to be achieved at all costs. Roma has been missing from it for too long.”

“Being the first Ukrainian Roma player means a lot for me and for my country. I want to show how much I’m worth. Before me in Italy there were Shevchenko, Malinovskyi and Kovalenko. Now it’s my turn, it’s my turn.”