Monchi: Cengiz can play an important role now and in the future

Cengiz signed for the Giallorossi earlier in the summer, scoring on his first appearance for the club in the 3-2 win over Tottenham in the International Champions Cup.

Only 20, the Turkey international nevertheless was signed with one eye on the future - although Monchi believes he can contribute immediately as Roma look to challenge this season in Serie A.

"Perhaps of all the players that have joined this summer, Under is the least well known but bringing him here was a real coup," the Spaniard said. "Lots of big clubs were chasing him and, thanks to his desire to join and Jim Pallotta's faith in me, he's here today. I'm delighted.

"We've signed a player who will be important both now and in the future."

Could you talk us through the process of signing a young talent like Cengiz?

"Cengiz wasn't a household name among fans but we in the industry knew all about him. He's a young player but he's involved with the national team set-up. He played for the surprise package in last season's Turkish domestic season. We had our eye on him - I knew him well, as did our fantastic scouting department. When the coach and I pinpointed where we needed to strengthen - potentially a left-footed player who can operate on the right - we immediately thought of him."

How did the deal take shape?

"We have very high hopes for him and we're in no hurry. Besides his footballing ability, you also have to gauge what players are like as people and Cengiz has proven to be an intelligent individual. That means he'll settle in more quickly than expected. There was of course competition for his signature: he was 19 - he's since turned 20 - and he's scored twice in four international caps. There were some top-class English clubs in for him. Thankfully though Roma has great appeal."

Have you spoken to Francesco Totti about Cengiz?

"No, I haven't spoken to Francesco about him. He ran into him when he was here in Trigoria and he asked about him so I told him what sort of player he was. But he showed what a great guy he is when he met him, said hello and took a photo with him - that meant a lot to Cengiz."

What's your take on Neymar's €220 million move to PSG?

"I feel a bit uneasy and afraid. I don't know where we're headed. I don't want to think that we're creating a speculative bubble which will one day burst. I've shown clearly in the past that I don't buy very expensive players. It's not up to me to say whether or not it's above board. It's hard to fathom so much money being spent at a time when elsewhere there are lots of people struggling to make ends meet."

What will it take to get big crowds back at the Stadio Olimpico? Can you achieve that even without spending big?

"I've been to the Stadio Olimpico three times and on two occasions we had nearly 65,000 in the crowd - against Juventus and Genoa. I hope to win things with Roma as opposed to securing a full house per se - that will sort itself out. I think Roma fans are intelligent enough not to choose whether to attend based on new signings, especially given we already have top players. We have [Radja] Nainggolan, [Daniele] De Rossi, [Kevin] Strootman and [Alessandro] Florenzi. As I've said, my aim isn't to get 65,000 into the Olimpico - it's to win things with Roma."

How will it feel to go back to Seville for the Antonio Puerta trophy?

"It's hard to explain. For the first time in 29 years I will go back to Seville with another team. It will be tough to keep my emotions in check especially for someone like me who wears his heart on his sleeve. The Puerta trophy is a special day for all Sevilla fans like me because of everything it stands for."