Thirteen points from their first five league matches, three goals conceded, and a league-leading +11 goal differential; life is good for first-place Roma. However, despite those good tidings, there are fleeting moments when it feels like something is still missing from Gian Piero Gasperini’s attack. And that something, as you may have guessed from the club’s summer long pursuit, is an athletic (and inverted) left winger.
After a summer spent chasing targets as varied as Mason Greenwood and Antonio
Nusa, Gasperini decided to shift tactics (literally and figuratively), using Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora, two attacking midfielders, as stand-ins at left wing. This hasn’t been a problem against the Lecces of the world, but this imbalance did cause issues against Fenerbahçe and Inter Milan.
We’re still a few months away from the winter transfer window, but you don’t need to be clairvoyant to tell which direction the rumors will point come January. Roma may not actually acquire a left-winger this winter, but you can rest assured the club will be linked to a host of options before the new year.
The only difference we may see is the price range, with cheaper, short-term options dominating the mid-season news cycle. And the first name in the bargain bin appears to be Frosinone forward Giorgi Kvernadze, a 23-year-old Georgian left-winger.
With five goals and two assists across all competitions, Kvernadze is adapting to life in Serie A with aplomb, capping off his hot start to the season with a goal in Frosinone’s 2-0 upset over Como last weekend. Thanks to his rising profile, Kvernadze is attracting interest from several larger Serie A clubs, including Napoli and Roma, each of which is considering a move for the €8 million-rated forward, according to Filippo Biafora.
This is likely just international break speculation, but Kvernadze would be an intriguing, low-risk move for the Giallorossi this winter. Stay tuned!
