Dundee’s latest signing Zeno Rossi has returned to Scotland with a point to prove.
The Bournemouth defender’s time last season at Kilmarnock didn’t ended with the Rugby Park outfit dropping down into the Championship.
And the 21-year-old is determined his time north of the border isn’t associated with relegation as he bids to help the Dark Blues stay in the top flight.
“I haven’t come up here thinking we’re going to get relegated, I’ve come here by thinking about it from the other side – what if I come here and we stay up,” the Englishman said.
“My last loan didn’t end well but it was a great personal experience for me and, off the back of that, I came into this season really strongly with Bournemouth.
“I’ve definitely got something to prove.
“When you go out on loan the first thing you’re trying to prove is you are good enough to play for your parent club.
“I’m trying to prove that.
“And the whole team here, I’ve seen already, are trying to prove they can stay in this league and so am I.”
‘Mad week’
‘Latest’ is certainly the word to describe Rossi’s switch from the south coast of England.
Despite agreeing the move on deadline day, a paperwork hitch meant the deal didn’t go through before the transfer window shut.
That saw an anxious wait for approval from FIFA before the move was eventually sanctioned on February 9.
Almost nine days may have passed since the deadline slammed shut but Dundee were still able to get their man and Rossi could make his debut at Peterhead on Monday.
“It was a bit of a mad week,” the defender said.
“On deadline day it happened quite quickly but then there was a little period before midnight where I didn’t think it was going to go through.
“It was all a bit anxious and then it was basically waiting for a week on a verdict.
“I’m buzzing it has finally gone through.
‘Liked what I heard’
“Deadline day is always a bit mad and there were a few different teams we were speaking to.
“Dundee came in just a few hours before the deadline. All day I was waiting by the phone and getting calls from everywhere.
“It was getting late and I spoke to a couple of different gaffers and decided this was the best place for me.
“I had a good chat with the gaffer and really liked what I heard, ultimately that’s why I chose to come here.”
Champions League winner
Rossi featured early on in the season for parent club Bournemouth as they began their bid to return to the Premier League.
However, the Cherries have since brought in a Champions League winning central defender and a Liverpool man on loan.
That saw Rossi drop down the pecking order, prompting the desire to get out and play first-team football elsewhere.
“I had a really good start to the season and I was in and around it but football is what it is, we’re pushing for promotion and almost have a Premier League squad at the moment,” Rossi added.
“We signed a lot of top players, there’s Gary Cahill and Nat Phillips in my position so they thought going out and playing first-team football was the best thing for me.
“I wanted to go out and play games as well.”
