Riccardo Calafiori Could Be Roma’s First Sale of the Season

With the once impending sale of AS Roma to Dan Friedkin on thin and rapidly melting ice, Roma's financial woes have been pretty well documented. With revenues running in the red and no hope on the horizon (due in part to the scuppered sale and potential loss of Champions League revenue again), Roma's entire transfer campaign is hanging in the balance. One thing is certain, however; as always Roma will have to sacrifice some talent to keep their heads above water.

The usual candidates—Nicolo Zaniolo, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Justin Kluivert and Cengiz Ünder—have filled the rumor rags through the spring, but over the past few days an even younger member of the Roma ranks has seen his name increasingly connected with a move away from the Italian capital.

Riccardo Calafiori, along with Alessio Riccardi (another subject of frequent transfer rumors) are the jewels in Roma's Primavera crown. Calafiori, an 18-year-old left back, is yet another born and bred Roman making his way to the Stadio Olimpico, but unlike Riccardi, Calafiori plays a position of impending need—full-back—so he would presumably have an easier path to the first team.

If only it were that easy...

With Roma in dire need of funds, the Corriere dello Sport reports that numerous clubs, including the likes of PSG, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester United, are ready to exploit Roma's financial situation by grabbing Calafiori on the cheap.

Calafiori, who had four goals and two assists in only 13 Primavera appearances, remains under contract with Roma through 2022, so there is no immediate contractual pressure to sell him. However, with the aforementioned financial issues and Roma's reluctance to discuss a contract extension (or give him assurances about a potential first-team debut) with his agent—you guessed it, Mino Raiola—the young Roman could be tempted by a club capable of offering a clearer future.

Losing yet another Roman would sting (especially if he follows Luca Pellegrini's path to Juventus), but as we’ve discussed all spring, Roma's once vaunted Primavera system hasn't exactly been churning out world-beaters over the past decade, so selling an 18-year-old left-back with a history of knee injuries wouldn't be on par with selling an established first team player.

Still, sacrificing promising youth players before even giving them a chance is both counter-intuitive and counter-productive.