How will Roma fit their new and existing defenders together?

They have left it late, but Roma have completed their centre-back department to cap off their squad building for the summer with the post-window additions of Mario Hermoso and Mats Hummels.

Compared to their options from last season, Roma have removed Diego Llorente, Dean Huijsen and Chris Smalling from their squad, in addition to loaning out Marash Kumbulla again, which left Gianluca Mancini and Evan Ndicka as the only centre-backs remaining.

But an area of concern has quickly (or belatedly, depending on which way you look at it) been reinforced with a reaction by the only means possible: acquiring two of the most appealing free-agent defenders that remained available.

All of a sudden, the centre-back department could be giving Daniele De Rossi a headache in terms of who is going to regularly start there. Mancini remains the club’s vice-captain. Ndicka has been Roma’s best player up until the first international break of the season. And yet the new arrivals aren’t here just to make up numbers; Hummels, a former World Cup winner, played in the Champions League final just a few months ago and has now been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, while Hermoso is believed to have become one of his new club’s highest earners and will have reasonable expectations regarding his gametime.

So, how does this all fit together?

First and foremost, it’s important that Roma have a group of four centre-backs again. Even better, they are evenly split between right-footed (Mancini and Hummels) and left-footed (Ndicka and Hermoso) players, and most have experienced playing in either a back four or a back three, which allows De Rossi a degree of flexibility.

If Roma continue to use a back four, they could pick one right-footed and one left-footed centre-back. In that case, Hummels and Ndicka might be the most in-form pairing. It wouldn’t exclude the idea of Ndicka and Hermoso both starting, though, since the latter can play as a left-back as well, which could be important given that Roma’s only options there are Angelino and Samuel Dahl.

Ordinarily, it would then be a battle between Mancini and Hummels for the right-centre-back role – unless they too were to play together – and although the former was among Roma’s better performers last season, his new teammate was playing to an even higher standard with Borussia Dortmund.

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There may even be times when Roma pair up two defenders who favour the same foot, like when they used to have a double-right-sided partnership between Mancini and Smalling, or rewinding a bit further, Kostas Manolas – who was briefly linked with a return to the club – and Federico Fazio.

With the way Ndicka has been playing recently – although he will need to keep it up, since he was only above average last season – and the fact that Hummels is 35, it can’t be ruled out that we might see the Ivorian and Hermoso starting matches together for Roma.

But despite Hummels’ age, he remains in strong condition – at least, as long as he has managed his fitness well while unattached over the summer. He played in 40 matches last season. And having waited this long to commit to a new club – reportedly rejecting double figures of other suitors in the process – it seems unlikely he’d have been told he won’t be playing as much for Roma.

Hummels – and 29-year-old Hermoso – should provide Roma with the seniority they would otherwise have been lacking in defence.

And yet it seems unfair that Mancini hasn’t been mentioned in as much detail up until this point. Yes, we know he can be rash. Yes, there are downsides to his game that at this point he probably isn’t going to lose. But Mancini is one of Roma’s most committed players. He knows how to play in a high line – and presumably has more pace than his elder teammates to make it effective.

It could all come down to the opposition and what tactics De Rossi wants to use to defend against them. Playing high up the pitch? Put Mancini in the lineup. Sitting deep to soak up pressure? Use Hummels.

Furthermore, there is definitely scope to revert to a back three now as well when required, even if there would only be one reserve centre-back. Mancini and Ndicka have already played in that kind of system at Roma, usually as the outer defenders either side of a central one – which could easily be Hummels, or perhaps Ndicka could shift into that area and let Hermoso take the left-sided place.

Finally, it seems like a nice problem to have. Defence was an area that wasn’t immune to an upgrade this summer and it may well have been overseen. But De Rossi, who is still working out his best system, will have to settle on an answer quickly and hope it helps Roma further increase their solidity.

The announcement of Hummels’ arrival comes after Roma kept their first clean sheet away at Juventus in over two decades, with Ndicka being the best player on the pitch. Although things are evolving in the final third, there are some sturdy foundations to build on at the back.

Roma’s need for new defenders was about quantity as much as quality, but with the two new players they have brought in, they seem to have ticked both boxes.