Giuseppe Rossi With RSL In Arizona For Preseason Camp

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah  – Giuseppe Rossi is training with Real Salt Lake in Arizona. The RSL Instagram feed put up a video of the team walking through the streets, towards the end of the video Rossi can be seen in RSL gear.

Rossi’s resume is world-class, having spent time with clubs such as Manchester United, Villareal and Fiorentina over his 16-year career. Unfortunately, the last year and a half have been slow for Rossi who has spent the time trying to land back on his feet and with a club. Towards the end of 2018, he expressed interest in signing with the New York Red Bulls, only for it to never eventuate, and in February of 2019, he had a trial with Los Angeles Football Club which never eventuated to anything, either. He was also seen training with his first club, Manchester United, in January of 2019, however, the Red Devils eventually opted to not sign Rossi, again.

Giuseppe Rossi training with the United first team at Carrington. #mufc [MEN] pic.twitter.com/DNntHOEpxa

— United Xtra (@utdxtra) January 16, 2019

The former Italian international is a name however, a name that is known around the world. He has 30 caps for the Italian international team and has scored big goals for big clubs.

His most comfortable position is center forward, a position that only Sam Johnson has proven himself in, and potentially a position that RSL could use depth at. Corey Baird did win MLS Rookie of the Year honors playing as the number nine in 2018, however, due to roster change, it seems as though Baird will play the majority of his minutes in his preferred position- the wing in 2019.

Injuries have also played their role in the demise of Rossi’s professional career. Since 2008, some 12 years ago, Rossi has dealt with ligament injuries that have kept him sidelined for a significant time. During the 2014-15 Serie A season, when Rossi was with Fiorentina, he spent 234 days away from the pitch recovering from an intra-articular ligament fissure. He has also ruptured his cruciate ligament twice, sidelining him for 557 days from 2011-13 and 182 days in 2017.

The old, beaten yet traveled striker is yet to sign with Real Salt Lake. It seems as though general manager Elliot Fall and co. will likely feast their eyes on Rossi first before putting any pen to paper. Regardless, the story itself is fascinating and worth a thought. Could Rossi, whose career was meant to be dead in the water, rejuvenate his playing days from his youth and help put the ball into the back of the onion bag for the Claret and Cobalt in 2020? That question will soon be answered, but first, he needs to prove that his legs are still efficient on the training pitch.

It certainly helps that Rossi was born in New Jersey and would hence not take up an international spot on the roster. That may be, outside of his ability, the greatest attribute he has.

In the meantime, enjoy the video below of some of Rossi’s finest moments throughout his career.

Happy 32nd birthday to Giuseppe Rossi! 🎉

Still training with Manchester United, still without a club 🤔

Surely someone's got to take him on? pic.twitter.com/353DkWSNqr

— Goal (@goal) February 1, 2019