AS Roma president James Pallotta has waged an all-out attack on former defender Mehdi Benatia, who left the Serie A giants for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on a reported €26 fee late into the 2014 summer transfer window, penning a five-year contract with Pep Guardiola's side.
Brought to the Stadio Olimpico only a year back from fellow Italian side Udinese for €13.5m, the Moroccan defender was also on the radar of English Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester United prior to his Allianz Arena switch, with rumors of interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid in the 27-year-old center-back.
However, last Monday, Benatia claimed he was keen on a Roma stay, but argues the club were quick to cash in on him. This is something the Giallorossi president slammed the Moroccan over, saying the defender “lied about wanting to stay” and that he became a "poisonous" member in the team's ranks.
"Mehdi Benatia has obviously continued with his pattern of outright lies over the last couple of months," the Roma chief said in a statement on Roma's official website.
Mehdi Benatia is "poisonous", and is lying about wanting to stay at Roma, says the Serie A side's president James Pallotta
The Moroccan defender joined Roma back in 2013, quickly establishing himself as an integral part in the Giallorossi's back line
But after only one season, the 27-year-old left the Stadio Olimpico for the Allianz Arena, joining Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a reported €26 fee
"We had a verbal agreement on compensation and a raise back in July in Boston. He personally said to me that he was happy after I told him flat out with no exceptions that we wanted him to stay.
"Over the following month he lied about wanting to stay and about the details of his compensation to both Rudi Garcia and his team-mates.
"Lying to me was one thing which I can somewhat handle. Lying to Rudi Garcia and his team-mates was completely unacceptable to me.
"I told [sporting director] Walter Sabatini he was becoming poisonous and I wanted him gone, and Rudi and Walter agreed.
"It wasn't about the money; it was about having character in our locker room. We are in a very sound financial position.
"As owners of Roma, we make difficult decisions all the time. As a fan of Roma, I am deeply disappointed that one of our players could act this way."
Benatia training for his new club, the Bavarians. Was he right to leave Roma?
