Italian-Egyptian winger Stephan El Shaarawy has joined Genoa, returning to the Serie A club after leaving Roma and spending two months without a club.
The 33-year-old left winger has moved to Genoa as a free agent, with no transfer fee attached to the deal. He returns to the club where he began his senior career after first progressing through Genoa’s youth system.
El Shaarawy joined Genoa’s under-19 side in 2008 and later made the move into senior football after a spell with Padova. He went on to establish himself in Serie A, making 345 appearances in the competition and recording 73 goals and 43 assists.
The forward’s career has also included spells with AC Milan, Monaco, Roma and Chinese side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua. He joined Roma from AC Milan in 2016 for €13m, having initially moved to the capital on loan earlier that year. In 2019, he transferred from Roma to Shanghai Greenland Shenhua for €16m before returning to Roma on a free transfer in January 2021.
During his second spell with Roma, El Shaarawy helped the club win the Conference League in the 2021-22 season. He also finished as a Europa League runner-up with the Italian side in 2022-23.
His honours include an Italian Super Cup winners’ medal with AC Milan in 2011-12 and a Chinese Cup triumph with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua in 2018-19. Earlier in his career, he won the Serie B Player of the Year award in 2010-11 and collected youth honours with Genoa.
El Shaarawy is right-footed and stands 1.78m tall. His return gives Genoa a player with extensive experience in Italy’s top flight, including more than 400 senior appearances across domestic and European competitions.
The move brings El Shaarawy back to the club where his professional career began, with Genoa completing the signing on 2 September 2026.
