Roma are closing in on the signing of Matteo Politano, and are prepared to sacrifice a summer investment to complete it.
The Giallorossi are working towards a deal to bring Politano back to his boyhood club – where he previously graduated the academy, without ever playing for the senior side – to accommodate for the injury to Nicolo Zaniolo.
Politano does not fit in to the system at current club Inter Milan, due to Antonio Conte’s preference for a 3-5-2 system. However, he is seen as ideal for Paulo Fonseca’s 4-3-3.
According to Sky Sport Italia, the deal is moving closer after Roma offered Leonardo Spinazzola to Inter in return.
Spinazzola only joined in the summer, as part of a swap deal that sent Luca Pellegrini to Juventus, but Fonseca has been reluctant to play him in his favoured position at left-back, instead using him on the right.
With Bruno Peres returning to the club and Alessandro Florenzi nailing down the starting berth as his own, there is now more competition for Spinazzola at right-back.
Conte is chasing a new full-back at Inter, and had been linked with Manchester United’s Ashley Young, but they are now more inclined to accept Roma’s swap offer.
Politano will arrive instead of Xherdan Shaqiri, after Fabrizio Romano revealed that Liverpool turned down a last-minute loan offer for the attacking midfielder.
AS Roma today asked for Xherdan Shaqiri on loan as Zaniolo replacement (he’s now injuried). Liverpool refused to loan him out on January. No chance. 🔴 #LFC #Shaqiri
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 13, 2020
Suso remains an alternative, but Sky seem confident the deal is close, with the fact that Spinazzola and Politano are represented by the same agents helping accelerate the process.
In the event of Spinazzola leaving, Filippo Biafora of Il Tempo confirms that Roma will increase their pursuit of Rangers left-back Borna Barisic.
In caso di addio di Spinazzola in cambio di Politano la #ASRoma vuole #Barisic dei Glasgow #Rangers: il terzino sinistro in 27 presenze ha servito 13 assist. Domani (ormai oggi) è previsto un incontro per il classe 1992@tempoweb #Calciomercato pic.twitter.com/J74PyTy8Hp
— Filippo Biafora (@Fil_Biafora) January 14, 2020
The 27-year-old Croatian international has been linked with Roma since December, having scored twice and added four assists in 24 appearances this season.
Biafora reveals a meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard recently confirmed that Roma’s interest in Barisic was genuine.
Gerrard told the Daily Record: “That’s true. There has been interest in Borna and there has been for a long time, even when his form wasn’t in a place where it is right now.
“Everyone respects the fact you’re talking about the Croatian number one left-back and they’re a team that has massive respect around the world.
“I’m close enough to his agent and we’ve had dialogue over the last couple of weeks. We realise where he is with his contract and I would say there are low level talks in terms of trying to get him to extend here because we are pleased with the job he’s done so far.
“It’s no surprise he’s in this form, but we have no ambition to move him on or to sell him.
“He is the same as every other player at Rangers. They all have a price, of course they do.
“I’m not going to completely shut it down, but he’s a player I want 100 per cent, that we need 100 per cent and we don’t want him to go anywhere.”
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