DONI - IT WILL BE HARD TO LEAVE ATALANTA
CRISTIANO DONI has told planetfootball.com that it will be difficult to convince him to move away from Atalanta.
The midfielder, who burst onto the national scene with a goal on his debut against Japan earlier in the month, has insisted that he is happy in Bergamo and is growing tired of constant press speculation linking him with moves away from Atalanta.
Doni, who has grabbed five goals in nine games this term, has been linked with a move to Juventus, and although flattered by the talk, insists it will be difficult to leave Atalanta as he wants regular football.
Speaking to planetfootball.com, Doni said: "It is nice to be talked about by the press, it means I am doing a good job. But, on the other hand, I am tired of being followed by all the journalists."
When asked if he fancied a change of club after four seasons in Bergamo, Doni said: "At the moment I don't know. I am 28, not a child, and I know that everything is wonderful today, but that could all change tomorrow.
"If I were to move, I would have to play regularly. If that cannot happen, I would rather stay here.
"I love Bergamo. It is a lovely little town, the team is great and as such it would not be easy to persuade me to leave."
Doni tried to explain why it has taken so long for him to make his name at the highest level.
"Physically, I grew up late," he said. "I have this kind of characteristic and maybe it is better because I can combine my ability with experience."
An Italian newspaper recently claimed that Doni spends a lot of time frequenting discos, a story that clearly angered him.
"I thought about taking them to a tribunal," he said: "It is amazing what they did, it is utterly unprofessional.
"They even wrote that Luciano Zauri and Damiano Zenoni came with me, and the truth is they never go anywhere without their fiancees. For them it was terrible.
"What will happen now if I play bad? Everybody will say it is because of the discos.
"My relationship with that paper is now closed."
He spoke of his debut for Italy against Japan, saying: "It was incredible, But I am not thinking about it too much. If I play for my country again, great. If not, no problem."
