As noted chicken restaurateur Kenny Rogers once said, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em.” After chasing Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho for two weeks, Roma’s patience went for naught, as the English winger has officially declined the chance to join the Giallorossi.
You win some, you lose some. One thing is certain: Roma tried everything they could. From multiple conversations with his agent to direct calls from Gian Piero Gasperini and even the Friedkins themselves to today’s
tete-a-tete in London, the Roma leadership pulled out all the stops. So, no matter how frustrated you are with this situation, the blame doesn’t fall on Roma. Sure, some of us may question the extent of their efforts, but Sporting Director Frederic Massara did everything possible to land Gasperini’s top target.
Sancho had other priorities than playing in the Italian capital, so all we can do is move forward. And according to multiple sources, the Giallorossi are doing just that.
Earlier this evening, Gianluca Di Marzio reported that Roma has shifted its focus to Chelsea striker Tyrique George. A 19-year-old native of London, George has been with The Blues since he was eight and made his top-flight debut last season. He logged approximately 1,000 minutes across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing one assist.
While the book on George is almost nonexistent, he showed impressive versatility in the youth leagues. Last season in Premier League 2 (England’s top U-21 league), George played as an attacking midfielder, right winger, left winger, forward, and even one match in defensive midfield. Some of that is probably due to the level of play (similar to how many MLB players were both pitchers and shortstops in college), but it also shows he’s more than just a left winger.
Given his limited professional experience, it’s hard to predict how he’ll adapt to a full-time role in the top flight, but he’s already been compared to Bukayo Saka and Riyad Mahrez. And, here’s a lovely twist of irony–Jadon Sancho is one of his most vocal supporters.
We’re still far from reaching an agreement, but according to Di Marzio, the main obstacle is the nature of the deal: George doesn’t want to leave on a simple loan. As a result, Roma and Chelsea are working on a loan with an obligation and a possible future sell-on clause for the Stamford Bridge club.
Jadon Sancho may have been a reclamation project, but in George, Gasperini would have the opportunity to build a player from the ground up.
Stay tuned, this could be Roma’s last and best option.
