Roma has just signed Irish talent Evan Ferguson to strengthen its attack, following the departures of Tammy Abraham and Eldor Shomurodov earlier this summer. Additionally, we recently found out that Artem Dovbyk has selected shirt number nine for the upcoming season.
A change in shirt number may seem like a coincidence, but this is a clear message from Artem: I’m Roma’s No. 1 striker, and I’ll do whatever it takes to secure my spot in the starting lineup and improve my stats from last season. Healthy
competition is essential and vital for Roma’s Champions League hopes, but make no mistake, Dovbyk is eager to prove himself and move beyond his underwhelming 2024-2025 season.
Scoring 17 goals in 45 games isn’t what you'd expect from someone who was previously La Liga's top scorer and cost Roma more than €35 million. To be fair to Artem, Roma's entire season was far from successful. With three different managers, tons of drama, and several months of weak, often terrible performances on the pitch, Roma's season was far from successful. Aside from Francesco Totti himself, no player in club history could have single-handedly turned that mess around.
Let’s say Artem did okay in his first season at Roma. Many compare it to Edin Dzeko's disappointing first season with the club in 2015, and we all know how his second year went (spoiler: 39 goals in all competitions and Serie A capocannoniere). While Dzeko had a certain Luciano Spalletti guiding him in his second year, Dovbyk will have a new face on the bench: Gian Piero Gasperini. A man with a plan. A coach who favors tough, physical players and demands 110%, every single minute of the game. Less defensive-minded than Claudio Ranieri, and more experienced than Ivan Juric or Daniele De Rossi.
Gasperini has consistently managed high-scoring teams, particularly Atalanta. They often ended Serie A seasons with over 70 goals, and in 2020 and 2021, they surpassed 90 goals. In the 2019-2020 season, Atalanta had three players—Luis Muriel, Duvan Zapata, and Josip Ilicic—each scoring at least 15 goals in Serie A.
Now imagine what he could do with players like Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Dovbyk. Built like a tank, Dovbyk could be the focal point for Gasperini's attack, and with creative talents like Dybala and Soulé surrounding him, Roma can easily replicate Atalanta's attacking form.
Now, Ferguson is added to the mix. At 20 years old, he was once considered one of the Premier League’s brightest prospects, valued at around €60-65 million—a figure Roma has never approached. But thanks to some down moments and injuries, Roma is taking a gamble, hoping he and Dovbyk can create an unstoppable scoring tandem. After all, players like Retegui, Lookman, Zapata, and Muriel all became superstars, so why wouldn’t Gasp do the same for Roma this season?
While Artem claimed the iconic shirt number 9, Ferguson chose 11. Yes, the same number Dovbyk wore last season. Now, Dovbyk has Dzeko’s old 9. It all makes sense—the stars are aligned. Sure, there’s a new, exciting kid in town. But he faces a tank patrolling the streets, and it shows no sign of slowing down.
Let’s just hope Gasperini can get the best out of both of them. A Ukrainian and an Irishman, an unusual pair at AS Roma. Still, don’t bet against Gian Piero finding a way to make it work and have them score 15+ goals each this season in Italy. Or maybe even more; a person can dream.
Evan, Artem. Go get ‘em.
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