Roma will need some restyling after a 2014-15 season marked by many ups and downs. With the eyes of the Financial Fair Play watchdogs on them, they must monetize while strengthening their roster this summer.
Predicting any calciomercato (transfer market) strategy is pseudo science. When the mercato man is a magician like Walter Sabatini, it’s an exercise in the occult.
The Roma sporting director has his work cut out for him, that’s for sure. An unhappy January transfer window saw the installment of players the likes of Seydou Doumbia, Nicolàs Spolli, and Victor Ibarbo, all of whom turned out to be largely disappointing.
With UEFA’s Financial Fair Play warning on hand, Roma cannot afford any more fruitless mercato investments.
Roma’s summer transfer strategy is three-pronged: first, to confirm its core, second to monetize (preferably on players who no longer figure in Garcia’s plans), and finally to strengthen its roster in order to get in the way of Juventus’ fifth consecutive scudetto.
Central to confirming the giallorossi‘s core is the thorny buyout/co-ownership that the Roman club has with Cagliari. While Astori has had little success, Ibarbo has been either injured or plainly ineffective. Roma has the right to buy out both players, for €5 million and €12.5 million respectively, which is not an insignificant investment.
The toughest knot in Roma’s early mercato is how to resolve the co-ownership of Radja Nainggolan. The midfielder is a key member of Roma current squad but the change of ownership at Cagliari since the Belgian was purchased has thrown a monkey wrench into Roma’s buyout plans. Sabatini’s original agreement with Cellino to buyout the midfielder for €6 million is considered null and void by the Sardinian club’s new owner and by their sporting director Capozucca. Nainggolan, they argue, has gained value and profile and the buyout for his remaining half should reflect that. The sides are likely to make up their minds before the end of June in order to avoid blind bidding.
Once Roma has confirmed their core, they need to monetize. Ideally, cut payroll of players that no longer figure in Garcia’s plan’s. First among these is the Ivorian Doumbia (who has garnered interest from China). Roma will consider lightening its payroll by bidding adieu to Curci, Yanga Mbiwa, Balzaretti, and/or Spolli all of whom have expiring contracts at month’s end.
The mercato may also present opportunities for some more prominent players to be sold to monetize, such as Gervinho (who is very close to signing for Al Jazira for a reported €16 million transfer fee) or Mattia Destro (who has garnered interest from Fiorentina and Bologna) who will be on a return flight after a six month stint in Milan, rossoneri side. The likes of Cole, Maicon may also take flight, if so by mutually rescinding their respective contracts.
By July (once the aforementioned matters have been resolved) Sabatini should have a clearer idea of Roma’s needs. This is not to say that the sporting director will stay idle until then because in the meantime ha has ensured the return of Andrea Bertolacci from Genoa, and is taking Barcelona youth product Yago Falque along with him. A coup worth €16 million. Another youngster who might return to base is the promising Alessio Romagnoli, after an impressive season on loan at Sampdoria.
A departure of strikers will likely see Roma strongly pursue a bomber. The giallorossi fans dream of Seville’s Colombian Carlos Bacca, while calciomercato experts cite interest in M’Poku, leveraging their relationship with Cagliari.
A departure of Maicon and/or Cole would likely force Roma to pursue a terzino (fullback). In that case, Udinese’s Widmer would be on top of Sabatini’s list.
As Roma’s fans breathed a sign of relief at attaining a second place ahead of crosstown rivals, they expect Sabatini to work his magic this summer, again.
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