Le Fee’s Sunderland move a ‘regret’ for Ranieri: ‘He wants to play’

Roma coach Claudio Ranieri feels he ‘didn’t have the time’ to get to know Enzo Le Fee enough to block his departure, as he admitted that the midfielder is joining Sunderland to get more playing time and reunite with his former coach Régis Le Bris.

The 24-year-old is about to leave the Giallorossi on loan just six months after his arrival, with the club changing three managers throughout this period.

While the Italian tactician conceded that his exit is a ‘regret’, he believes Roma find themselves in a win-win situation, as the Frenchman will either be signed for a lucrative fee next summer or return to the Stadio Olimpico ‘more mature’.

Ranieri: Rome will either make ‘capital gain’ with Le Fee exit or get him back ‘more mature’

“Le Fee should be leaving,” said Ranieri as he spoke to the press at a pre-match press conference ahead of their away trip to Bologna.

“He said goodbye, and I regret letting him go. But I didn’t have time to get to know him.

“He left because he wants to play, moving to a second tier to reunite with his former coach. If they don’t buy him outright, we’ll have a player who’s gained six months of experience in the Premiership, a tough and important league. That means he’ll return more mature. Otherwise, we will have made a capital gain.”

Roma signed Le Fee from Rennes last summer for €23m, the same figure Sunderland will be forced to pay in case they get promoted to the Premier League, turning the loan deal into a permanent move.

The midfielder made a single Serie A appearance since Claudio Ranieri was appointed to replace Ivan Juric.