Thanks to the heroics of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, who led the Giallorossi to a 4-0 win over the Viola on Monday, the discourse around the club has shifted from what the attack was still missing to whether they’re legitimate title contenders. There will be plenty of time to continue that discussion in the coming weeks, but now that the buzz from Roma’s opening-day victory over Fiorentina is starting to fade, the Romaverse has switched back into transfer-frenzy mode.
And the name keeping Roma
fans awake at night is Lyon winger Malick Fofana. The crafty Belgian winger is an ideal foil to the likes of Dybala and Malen and has reportedly been open to joining the Giallorossi, especially after Lyon failed to qualify for the Champions League proper. However, with Roma still sniffing around Chelsea youngster Jaime Gittens, the club’s apparent lack of direction is confusing, especially this late in the transfer season.
In that light, we’ll focus on a more concrete rumor this morning: Robinio Vaz’s impending departure. The 19-year-old French forward signed with Roma in January after completing a €22 million transfer from Marseille. While we’ve always been bullish on Vaz’s potential, his complete lack of playing time last spring and through the pre-season suggests that Gian Piero Gasperini may not share that opinion.
According to the Corriere dello Sport, Roma and Hull City are working on a €2 million season-long loan with a €30 million option to buy. The conditions behind that option will ultimately determine how sweet a deal this is for Roma, but it represents a fresh start for Vaz, who never seemed to suit Gasperini’s tastes.
