New Crystal Palace signing Daichi Kamada has explained why he made the move this summer, with Lazio fans treatement of the team part of the reason.
Lazio Press and La Lazio Siamo Noi cover comments from the Japanese star today after he appeared in a video in his homeland explaining his move to Crystal Palace this summer.
Kamada completed a free transfer to Selhurst Park on July 1st, making the surprise decision to cut short a year long stay at Lazio to make the move to England.
The Japanese international only joined Lazio on a free transfer last summer from Eintracht Frankfurt and enjoyed something of a difficult spell with the Italians, with just two goals and two assists in 38 games in all competitions.
That was a far cry from the player who’d previously shone at Frankfurt with a tally of 40 goals and 33 assists in 179 games during his time there.
His career with them saw him shining under current Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, managing 15 goals and 22 assists in 93 games under him when Glasner was in charge of the Bundesliga club.
And it seems talks with his former manager proved to be decisive, as well as the possibility of escaping a difficult situation at Lazio.
“When I arrived at Lazio, I felt that everyone expected a lot from me,” he said.
“I arrived in the team where the best midfielder in Serie A, Milinkovic-Savic, played. And I had to take his place. So, everyone expected a lot from me in matches, but also during training. I felt that my normal performance was not enough.
“Every time we lost, we all heard boos, and they told me that here in the Premier League, however, it doesn’t happen. If you lose, they support you.
“I chose Palace because I had already been contacted in the winter, given that when Maurizio Sarri was at Lazio I never played. While I was thinking about what to do, Oliver Glasner sent me a message and said he wanted me as a signing for the summer.
“In the end I was undecided whether to stay at Lazio or go to Crystal Palace I repeat to myself that my dream was to one day play in the Premier League.
“I spoke a lot with Oliver Glasner, and I think he is a great manager and he wanted me at all costs even when I thought I would stay at Lazio. And in the end, he prevailed. I’ve been following Palace since Glasner has been there, I’ve seen all the games.”
