With the final gong of the summer mercato exactly a week away, Roma still has some unfinished business as Ricky Massara looks to put the final touches on a squad built for Gian Piero Gasperini. Massara secured Polish youngster Jan Ziółkowski on Monday to complete Roma’s defense. However, there are still incoming and outgoing transfers that are expected to happen. The rumor mill will be churning out stories at full speed. So, let’s round up the biggest rumors for Monday, August 25th.
Dovbyk Linked With Newcastle
Throughout the
summer transfer window, Artem Dovbyk’s name has been swirling as a potential exit candidate. With the Ukraine international not living up to his La Liga golden boot reputation in his first season in Rome and his less-than-ideal fit for Gasperini’s tactics, Dovbyk has been linked with several clubs. Just this morning, Dovbyk was connected with La Liga side Villarreal.
This evening, Filippo Biafora reported that intermediaries have proposed Dovbyk to Newcastle. With the club’s Saudi ownership willing to spend, the Magpies may consider moving for him, especially since Aleksander Isak has essentially indicated that he won’t play for the club again. Given the need for a striker to replace Isak, this situation could develop, so it’s worth keeping an eye on it in the coming days.
Left-Backs on the Move
It was made clear last week that Anass Salah-Eddine hadn’t won over Gasperini and that he’d likely be on the way out. Biafora reports that Roma has an agreement with Cagliari for a loan with an option to buy. However, the player wants to see if a return to Holland is possible first. Additionally, Bubba Sangare could be on the way out with Valencia ahead of Porto for a loan with purchase option.
To fill out the depth chart behind Angeliño, Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas is the preferred choice. Roma would like a loan with an option to buy, while the Reds would prefer a permanent transfer for the Greek. We’ll see if a deal can be struck since Roma is said to already have an agreement with the player.
Massara Arrives in London
According to the latest report from Biafora, Gasperini remains hellbent on getting Jadon Sancho into his arsenal for the 2025-26 season. And Massara is said to have landed in London this evening to try and convince the England international to finally accept a move to the Olimpico. Roma and Manchester United have had an agreement in place for some time; now it’s up to Massara to finally get Sancho to agree to the move. We’ll see if Massara flying to England moves the needle.
Additionally, it’s said that Roma remains interested in Chelsea’s teenage Tyrique George as an alternative to Sancho. So, while he’s in London, Massara will also do his due diligence if a move for Sancho doesn’t come to fruition. Talks for Tsimakas will likely also take place during the DS’s time in London.
