El Shaarawy's return to Genoa marks a full circle in his career, as he previously spent time in the club's youth academy and made his professional debut in 2008. After a successful stint at AC Milan, where he played for six years, he moved to AS Roma in 2011. During his time at Roma, El Shaarawy played 348 games, making him the club's most experienced player. VoetbalPrimeur reports that El Shaarawy is excited to be back at Genoa, where he experienced his first successes as a professional player. He will now team up with Justin Bijlow, a 28-year-old Dutch goalkeeper who joined Genoa in January 2026.