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31 players from Roma’s 2-week Trigoria ritiro have been whittled down to a 27-man squad for the USA tour.
So what’s changed? Who is out, in, and yet come (or yet to leave)? We recap below:
Who’s Gone?
Stefano Greco (Roma Primavera)
While not strictly a transfer out of the club, Greco’s future as a 1999-born player was in the balance. The club decided last week to retain him as one of the three overage players for the Roma Primavera of 2018/19. He leaves the Trigoria senior ritiro to go back with the kids.
We saw Greco hang about for keeping and penalty practice at the end of every afternoon session, and some game time in the 9-0 friendly victory of Latina - but I still had trouble knowing the difference between him and 2001-born Matteo Cardinali on first glance, so...
Andrea Romagnoli (Renate - Loan)
Romagnoli is from an entire family of Inter Milan fans (I don’t know why as they all were born and raised in the Lazio region), so he should feel closer to his spiritual home by taking a loan move up to Lombardy.
Elio Capradossi (Spezia - Loan With Option)
We covered Elio in-depth after his Serie A debut in Giallorossi colours. Now 22 years old, time is running out for him to forge a Serie A career while still young-ish in football terms. He goes to Serie B’s Spezia on a loan with right to buy, and a right to counter-offer for Roma.
Alessio Riccardi (Roma Primavera)
Like William Bianda, Riccardi still has plenty of time on his side as a player born this side of the millenium. Riccardi has jumped a year ahead of his peers at every level he has played. And, if you ask me, he’s ready to play at senior level. But I’m just a fan.
Gerson (Fiorentina - Loan)
As we covered earlier this week, Gerson has decided to don the Viola jersey for at least one season. While there are concerns over it being just a dry loan, Gerson becomes the highest paid player in Fiorentina’s squad behind Vitor Hugo and Riccardo Saponara. This is no idle commitment to Gerson’s career from Fiorentina. The rest is in his hands to compete and make the most of it.
Mirko Antonucci (Pescara - Loan)
Another dry loan, but without the wages acting as an incentive to play him. Despite this, Roma recently enjoyed success loaning (and then selling) Pepin to Pescara, and EdF will always maintain good links with his hometown club. So rather than take up an overage spot in the Primavera, off Mirko goes to the coast.
Daniele Verde (In Limbo)
Although still officially a Roma player, Daniele Verde could be a Porto player anyday now and bag the club another 6 million euros. Or that whole thing could go up in smoke. You know, the usual.
Who’s Back?
Federico Fazio returns from the mystery of Jorge Sampaoli’s international management career. The less said about Il Comandante’s World Cup cameo, the better. Aleksandar Kolarov returns from captaining his country at the World Cup. And last but not least... oh, I see. He packed his bags and flew to Merseyside, you say? Well, then...
Add Daniel Fuzato’s mid-Trigoria arrival and these are your 27 players for the USA tour if you’re planning on seeing the team in person:
Ecco i 27 giallorossi che partiranno per gli Stati Uniti per prendere parte alla #ICC2018 #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/TnPHuGQXR4
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) July 21, 2018
Who Could Still Arrive?
Let’s not forget Nicolo Zaniolo - yet to complete his Italy U-19 tournament and join up with his new club for good.
All the posts and articles for the next few days will be overshadowed by the imminent arrival of Brazilian prodigy Malcom.
Who Roma brings in as a replacement for Alisson’s spot is still largely unclear, even if we covered potential names earlier in the week, but it seems like the club is intent on not getting hustled for a new keeper over Alisson’s sale. So I wouldn’t take it for granted that the guy brought in would be guaranteed the starting spot either.
Who Could Still Go?
Alessandro Florenzi (To Anywhere But Inter)
While the club are optimistic on Florenzi staying, if you thought we were done with selling starters from last season then let’s not forget Florenzi still hasn’t signed.
Would Roma really go into a new season with Florenzi at the club and a yet-to-be-resolved future?
Maxime Gonalons (To Anywhere But Ligue 1)
Like it or not, this one is even more unlikely than Florenzi leaving.
Yes, rumours about N’Zonzi persist but Monchi claimed, after Alisson’s sale, N’Zonzi wasn’t a real target. If you’re Monchi, you don’t fall for the bait of signing at 29-year-old World Cup winner at a 35 million release clause just after a World Cup victory. Maybe it’s chump change to a Premier League side but not to Serie A (avoid the Inter Milan punchline here!).
Added to that, France is the only place that would have Gonalons at a decent transfer fee. And yet Ligue 1 is the one league that would turn up their nose at his Roma salary. I would stick to praying Maxime has a good season in Roma colours, because in no small way does the club’s immediate future depend on exactly that.
Gregoire Defrel (To Sampdoria)
Massimo Ferrero’s latest word on Defrel was that Sampdoria absolutely must sign him. Whether he was just being dramatic or not, the Blucerchiati are still flush from cash over the Zapata and Torreira sales, but don’t expect Ferrero to offer cash up front if he can get away with a loan, staged payments, or just a discount the other way on Patrik Schick (funny how that whole thing has come full circle).
Roma will kick off the ICC tour in San Diego against Tottenham Hotspur on July 25th, before games against Barcelona and Real Madrid on July 31st in Dallas and August 7th in New York, respectively.