From gas to eggs and everything in between, inflation is wreaking havoc on the cost of living in every corner of the globe. Football clubs aren’t immune to these rising costs either. Take, for example, Roma’s pursuit of a new left winger for Gian Piero Gasperini’s attack. It’s probably unfair to compare the rising costs in football, which is essentially part of the entertainment business, to the cost of basic household items, but rising market costs have made it almost impossible to acquire players
with even modest resumes for less than €40 or €50 million.
Antonio Nusa may be ideally suited for Roma’s left flank, but even as the club’s second choice, he may wind up costing more than €60 million. Facing this new reality, the Giallorossi either have to lower their sights or accept slightly damaged goods as they seek to improve their options up front.
And Roma may be doing that as we speak. According to the Corriere dello Sport, the Giallorossi are interested in Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens. The 21-year-old Englishman arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer on a massive €56 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund but was waylaid by a series of muscular injuries, including a nagging hamstring strain, that limited him to only 495 league minutes last season.
With several players vying for minutes and new manager Xabi Alonso, and with Chelsea linked to Kerim Alajbegović, Gittens could be the odd man out. Depending on the nature of the transaction, Gittens wouldn’t necessarily be a cheap addition, but reports in England suggest Chelsea may be willing to part with him on loan.
No matter which path they select, time is slipping away for Roma—the season kicks off in exactly one month. If they haven’t acted with urgency before, now is the moment to act.
