Every Sunday, Giallorossi Yorkshire provides a roundup of all the latest Roma transfer news from the past week.
In this edition, Roma’s links with an Atletico Madrid star are recounted, while several names are suggested in the search for a backup striker and a full-back – including one with a past with rivals Lazio…
Thomas Lemar
Embed from Getty ImagesOne of the biggest new links to emerge this week was that of Thomas Lemar. The midfielder has not been able to replicate his outstanding form with Monaco since his €70m move to Atletico Madrid in 2018, and could now be on his way out of the Wanda Metropolitano.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Roma are among those interested in the wide man, as are Arsenal – although the fact that Atletico want to recoup somewhere around their initial investment would surely rule the Giallorossi out for the time being.
Moise Kean
With Roma looking to bolster their attack, another link has resurfaced which has been around for some time longer. Former Juventus striker Moise Kean is said to be a target, and according to Calciomercato, Roma could negotiate a swap deal with Everton that would see Cengiz Under move the other way. Under is also linked with a reunion with Monchi at Sevilla, as per Estadio Deportivo, and a €20m move to Milan.
The deal could take another form, with Nicolo Schira claiming that Roma want to take Kean on loan with an option to buy.
Moise #Kean could leave #Everton in the coming months. #Roma are interested in him for a loan with option to buy. #Toffees have asked info for Chris #Smalling, if Giallorossi will not buy him from #ManchesterUnited. #transfers #EFC
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) April 24, 2020
Elseid Hysaj
It is added that Napoli are also interested in a swap deal for Under, and they could give Roma the chance to resolve their right-back issues by sending long-term target Hysaj in the opposite direction.
Adolfo Gaich
A lesser known attacking target, according to the Argentine edition of AS, is San Lorenzo forward Adolfo Gaich. The 21-year-old centre-forward is out of contract with the Argentine side next summer, meaning they may have to cash in now.
San Lorenzo are said to have already turned down an offer from Club Brugge, while Barcelona and Atletico Mineiro are also set to provide competition for his signature.
Marcus Thuram
Embed from Getty ImagesNeither Kean or Thuram are named by Il Romanista as part of the four-man shortlist they suggest Gianluca Petrachi has in his search for Roma’s main priority this summer – a back-up for Edin Dzeko who can replace him within the next two years.
The first name listed is Marcus Thuram, a player Roma came up against when they faced Borussia Monchengladbach in this season’s Europa League. Son of former Parma and Juventus defender Lilian Thuram, Marcus plays at the other end of the pitch to his father.
The German club value him somewhere between €25m and €30m, which is slightly out of Roma’s reach.
Odsonne Edouard
Next on Il Romanista‘s list is Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard, who seems set for the next step in his career after three prolific years in Glasgow. However, like Thuram, his value of €25m is unattainable at present.
Andrea Pinamonti
Their third suggestion is Andrea Pinamonti, who has been linked with a swap deal that would send Diego Perotti back to Genoa – with Roma paying part of his salary.
Dusan Vlahovic
Finally, they propose the name of Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic, who has developed in Florence this season. Just 20 years old, Roma could tempt him with the offer of a tripled salary compared to the €0.4m per season he earns with the Viola.
Contact is said to have already been made with his agents over the possibility of coming to Roma if an agreement cannot be reached to extend his Fiorentina contract beyond its current expiry date of 2023. However, Vlahovic has since revealed he would like a long stay in Florence.
Nikola Milenkovic
A second Fiorentina player linked with Roma is Nikola Milenkovic. With the two clubs already said to be considering a huge swap deal involving Cristiano Biraghi, Leonardo Spinazzola and more, Petrachi is rumoured by Corriere Dello Sport to have also asked for one defender between German Pezzella, already claimed to be a target for the club, and Milenkovic.
The option for a defender is seen as a cheaper alternative to Petrachi’s ideal counterpart in negotiations to send Alessandro Florenzi away to Florence. The sporting director would have liked Gaetano Castrovilli, but Roma look unable to afford him.
Moussa Niakhate
An alternative at centre-back could be Mainz’s Moussa Niakhate, according to La Repubblica. The 24-year-old has been one of the German side’s most-used players over the past couple of seasons but could be available for as little as €11m.
Chris Smalling
Roma may not have the need for an extra centre-back if they can capture the much-desired permanent signature of Chris Smalling. While Manchester United’s asking price for the English loanee has been too high so far, there is good news from the Express, who claim that the Red Devils could sell the defender in order to fund bids for Jude Bellingham, Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho. Whether they will let him go at a price affordable to Roma remains to be seen.
The good news in the short-term, however, is that Man Utd will allow Roma to keep Smalling until the end of the season, even if it extends beyond the 30th June. The same goes for Arsenal and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, according to Sky Sport‘s Angelo Mangiante.
Noussair Mazraoui
The centre is not the only part of defence that needs strengthening, with Paulo Fonseca struggling to rely on one first-choice right-back this season. To solve this, Roma could turn to Holland.
According to Corriere Dello Sport, the Giallorossi have their eyes on Ajax full-back Noussair Mazraoui. Lazio and AC Milan are also said to be tracking the 22-year-old, who has been capped 10 times by Morocco.
Davide Faraoni
Embed from Getty ImagesAn alternative right-back, with Bruno Peres and Alessandro Florenzi potentially leaving (the latter being of interest to Atalanta and Fiorentina), is Verona’s Davide Faraoni. The 28-year-old, who came through Lazio’s youth ranks, has impressed this season, and Gazzetta Dello Sport claim that Petrachi is considering him, as well as weighing up the potential extension of Davide Zappacosta’s loan from Chelsea.
Junior Firpo
In the opposite full-back position, Roma continue to be linked with Junior Firpo. Il Messaggero claim that Barcelona could send him to Serie A on loan – with the report adding that Jan Vertonghen is the most likely candidate to replace Chris Smalling. Gazzetta Dello Sport back up both links, claiming there could be an option to buy Firpo for less than €25m, while reminding of Roma’s interest in Cristiano Biraghi.
A reinforcement may be needed, as according to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Sinisa Mihajlovic would like to team up with Aleksandar Kolarov at Bologna next season if they decide to sell current left-back Mitchell Dijks.
Dries Mertens
Embed from Getty ImagesRoma remain the race for soon-to-be free agent Dries Mertens, according to Il Tempo‘s Filippo Biafora. Fonseca and Petrachi are enamored by the Napoli forward and would be willing to revive negotiations that began at the start of the year.
A three-year contract offer may be put on the table, but it is likely not to be of the same financial appeal as any that arrive from Inter Milan, Chelsea or Monaco.
Andrea Favilli
Another striker under consideration, according to Corriere Dello Sport, is Andrea Favilli. He is named simply as an alternative to Mertens, Kean or Gianluca Scamacca, and only in the unlikely event that Edin Dzeko leaves the club this summer.
Aleksander Buksa
An even younger striker option is Aleksander Buksa, according to Tuttomercatoweb. Roma are battling both Milan clubs, Atalanta, Sassuolo and Barcelona for Wisla Krakow’s 17-year-old, who would presumably go into the youth ranks rather than the first team, despite having featured frequently at senior level in Poland this season.
Florian Thauvin
With Roma looking for a cost-effective winger to potentially replace Diego Perotti, attention has turned once more to Florian Thauvin, whose value has dropped drastically after an injury-plagued campaign.
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, the Marseille man remains an option, whose age makes him preferable to Pedro, despite the Chelsea star set to be available for free.
However, the winger has since stated that he would like to stay with the French outfit.
Mario Gotze
Another big name target in the attacking department is Mario Gotze, who will be a free agent this summer. According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, it could be a derby between Roma and Lazio for the German’s signature.
Other Outgoings
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori battled his way back from a long-term injury to return to action for Roma’s Primavera recently, and the full-back is now attracting interest from PSG and Juventus, according to Tuttomercatoweb. Roma want to tie the soon-to-be 18-year-old down to a five-year contract, though.
Jordan Veretout
In what seems a strange story, Jordan Veretout is being linked with a Roma exit after his first season. The Giallorossi won the race to sign him last summer ahead of Napoli, but their rivals are interested in making a fresh bid for him this summer, claim Calciomercato. Given how Veretout has settled in well at Roma, and how Napoli have struggled this year, it seems a rather far-fetched idea.
Patrik Schick
Embed from Getty ImagesA player who has revitalised his career, to some extent, away from Roma on loan, Patrik Schick is expected to make his move to RB Leipzig permanent. The Bundesliga club’s sporting director Markus Krosche has told DPA in Germany that Schick is “very comfortable” with the club and may make the move for good – although Roma may receive less than the €29m option to buy that Leipzig have.
Javier Pastore
Roma need to work to reduce their wage books this summer, and one of the most inefficient highly-paid players is Javier Pastore. He showed promising form earlier in the season, but injuries have raised questions over his salary. According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Roma could cut their costs by letting him go, along with fellow Argentines Diego Perotti and Federico Fazio.
Lorenzo Pellegrini
There was also talk, quickly brushed aside, of interest in Lorenzo Pellegrini from PSG. Corriere Dello Sport mention that the French club were interested in activating his €30m release clause, but the attacking midfielder wants to stay with his boyhood club, and may renew his contract until 2025 along with Nicolo Zaniolo.
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