After being inundated by a whirlwind of transfer rumors last week, including the sensational double swoop of Leon Bailey and Jadon Sancho, the potential sale of Manu Koné, and a reported deal between the Giallorossi and Wolves forward Fabio Silva, things were bound to slow down over the weekend.
Absent any new rumors, the Romaverse spent the weekend churning through micro updates on Bailey, Sancho, and more. Now that a new work week is upon us, let’s get caught up on all the transfer hearsay and conjecture.
Sancho Rejects Roma’s Advances
Any deal for wantaway Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho would come with enormous risk. Yes, he took Europe by storm as a teenager with Borussia Dortmund, scoring 37 goals and providing 41 assists between 2018 and 2021. But since then? Yeesh. From 2021 through last season, the 25-year-old winger has struggled mightily, tallying only 14 goals and 12 assists in 103 league appearances with three clubs, United, Dortmund, and Chelsea.
Still, the appeal of his first stint with Dortmund has lured several clubs into his orbit, with each thinking they possessed the key to rediscovering that scintillating form. And for most of last week, it seemed like Gian Piero Gasperini and Roma were next up in the Sancho rotation. Sancho’s reputation had taken a hit, no doubt, but if anyone could rekindle that magic, surely it was Gasperini.
Not so fast. According to multiple sources, Sancho has spurned Roma’s advances—believed to be a five-year deal worth €5 million per season—in favor of signing with a Champions League club. While we can understand the appeal of playing in the CL, a year in the Eternal City, sipping Gasperade by day and dining in the finest restaurants at night, could reset his reputation, career, and bank account.
Oh well, no sense crying over spilled milk…
Jonathan Rowe Emerges as Post-Sancho Option
According to Ginaluca Di Marzio, Roma has lined up Marseille winger Jon Rowe as an alternative to Sancho. Rowe, a 22-year-old English winger, can’t match his compatriots’ production (at least not Sancho’s early days in Dortmund), but he does have a 12-goal campaign to his credit, albeit in the second tier with Norwich City two seasons ago, so there may be some untapped potential there.
Valued at a rumored €20 million, Roma will have to beat Bologna to the punch, as the Rossoblu have been chasing Rowe for some time now.
Leon Bailey Deal Nearly Sealed
The Sancho-Bailey double swoop may be dead in the water, but Roma are inches away from acquiring the Aston Villa winger. According to multiple sources in England and Italy, Roma and Villa are putting the finishing touches on a deal potentially worth €25 million, with Roma taking the 28-year-old winger on an initial €2 million loan with a €23 million option to buy.
Bailey’s potential may not be as tantalizing as Sancho’s, and there are some questions about his tactical fit, so kudos to Roma for landing him with an option to buy.
Rumors that hinge on “intermediaries” or “third parties” tend to disappear rather quickly. Still, there’s no denying that Artem Dovbyk has played second fiddle to Evan Ferguson this summer, leading many to question whether or not he’s in Gasperini’s plans this season. Granted, Dovbyk has been dealing with some niggling injuries this summer, but the hulking Ukrainian forward has been on the fringes this summer.
And, as you can see, rumors of his departure are picking up steam. While sending a near €40 million-rated forward to an arch-rival could come back to haunt Roma later on, if it frees up funds to land Lecce forward Nikola Krstovic, you won’t find us complaining.
That’s it for Monday morning’s roundup, but stick with us this week as we wrap up our Top 10 U-23 countdown and drop our season preview roundtable and podcast!
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