Fabio Borini's Journey to Salford City
Fabio Borini has enjoyed a remarkable career, representing clubs such as Chelsea, Roma, Liverpool, Sunderland, AC Milan, and most recently, Sampdoria.
He also holds a cherished cap from the Italian national team, earned during a friendly match against the USA in 2012.
Now, at 34 years old, what draws him to the brisk mornings in Salford?
What motivates him to arrive early at the training ground of the League Two club, which gained fame when it was purchased by members of Manchester United's Class of '92, as he prepares for what could be his first competitive start in the FA Cup against Lincoln?
Despite the biting cold, he cheerfully waited outside on the training pitch, having arrived ahead of schedule for our interview, even needing to wipe his nose several times.
"You can call it the buzz," he told BBC Sport. "You could call it adrenaline. You could even call it addiction. It's an addiction for professional athletes at the highest level to seek out feelings that are hard to explain to those who don’t experience it themselves.
"People say, 'You are doing the best job in the world, but when it stops, you will feel it.' So, you try to make the most of it. The buzz is incomparable to anything else; nothing can compare.
"It doesn't change. I was the first one into training when I was 21, and I am still the first one in at 34. I do the extra work and likely take better care of myself than I did before."
Borini's presence at the Littleton Road training ground, still used by Manchester United's academy, stems from a proactive initiative by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) to conduct pre-season camps for out-of-contract players.
Following the camps, Salford City assistant manager Alex Bruce, a long-time acquaintance of Borini, invited him to continue training in a competitive setting. Bruce described the offer as a "no-brainer." Borini enjoyed the experience enough to sign a short-term contract.
"I told them that whatever they offered would be good for me because I want to play football, and we can go from there," he stated.
"What the PFA has done with this initiative is incredibly beneficial. It provides players the chance to stay fit in the best possible way, using the facilities they offer.
"It also presents a great opportunity to be seen, which is why Alex and other clubs reached out to express their interest. I suppose it was the same for other players.
"If you train at home in your own backyard, no one is going to notice you."
After committing to Salford, Borini began exploring the club's history, noting their ascent from the Northern Premier League First Division North to League Two, achieving four promotions in five seasons.
He is aware that the club has remained in League Two since 2019 and has recently undergone a change in ownership, with only David Beckham and Gary Neville still holding financial stakes from the famous Manchester United group.
However, the connection remains strong, as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes were present during Borini's latest training session.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given his numerous commitments, Neville is the only member of Salford's notable ownership group that Borini has yet to meet.
"It's important for players to understand and get to know the history of their clubs," Borini remarked. "You need to grasp the heart and soul of this area before stepping onto the field because you are expected to embody that spirit in your play."
In Borini's view, Salford is "not like any League Two club." He believes the infrastructure and the footballing pedigree of the prominent backers lend it a more significant presence.
Nonetheless, it is a far cry from his time at AC Milan, where he made 72 appearances over two years until 2020. Although he has only had a couple of brief substitute appearances so far, he knows his background will attract attention.
"I've already had a taste of that," he said. "Target isn't the right word, but perhaps opponents view you differently.
"For me, that's motivating. I think everyone wanted to play against Salford before I arrived, due to the background and the footballing people associated with it.
"Now they have something more to anticipate, which is facing players like me.
"It's a challenge for me to maintain my performance level, and it's a challenge for the team to elevate our game further because all eyes are on us. To keep that attention, we must perform and secure results."
Borini intends to continue playing for another two or three years, asserting that both his mental and physical fitness remain strong.
He still has aspirations, even if replicating Liverpool's journey to the 2015 FA Cup semi-finals, where Borini was part of the squad that lost to Aston Villa, seems unlikely.
A more realistic goal is to reach the third round, with the possibility of returning to Anfield or the Stadium of Light.
"It's a goal I would like to achieve," he expressed. "It would be wonderful to relive some experiences in those stadiums, surrounded by the warmth of the club. Those memories last forever."