Across the Romaverse Podcast, #57: Assessing Roma’s Summer Mercato

We’ve seen it numerous times during the American era of AS Roma. A new manager is brought in—sometimes in tandem with a new DS or sometimes with an incumbent DS—and the DS must try to create a squad in the manager’s image while working within Roma’s financial limitations. Sometimes it works out—think Luciano Spalletti’s 87 point campaign in 2016-17—but most of the time it doesn’t because the shelf life of managers in the Italian capital is often short-lived.

Managers inherit teams built by previous regimes and never truly get the pieces needed for their style of football. That was often the case with Jim Pallotta’s tenure as Roma president as coaches and sporting directors were cast to the wayside like day-old bread. The DS, probably knowing that they’d outlast the manager, didn’t always bring in the best fits for the manager. Meanwhile, others (aka Monchi) spent recklessly to the detriment of a long-term, sustainable project, which was the exact reason he was brought in.

That seems to have changed under the Friedkins’ ownership. First came Tiago Pinto, a little-known 30-something from Portugal, then came the big fish— manager José Mourinho. Mourinho, like previous Roma hires, inherited a salad bowl of talents tossed together by Monchi and Gianluca Petrachi for Eusebio Di Francesco and Paulo Fonseca.

However, Pinto, more than any of his predecessors, is doing his damnedest to clear out unwanted players that don't fit Mourinho's system or his needs as a manager. In some ways, this may be the most in sync we’ve seen a DS and manager in the capital in quite some time. So, just how do we feel Pinto did in his first summer window as Roma DS as he looks to build a team in Mourinho’s image?

Listen in to hear our thoughts. And be sure to let us know yours on the message board below or on social media.

Episode Details

• News Updates (0:50)
• Incoming Mercato (13:05)
• Outgoing Mercato (57:03)
• Mercato Conclusions (1:21:08)
• Winter Mercato Predictions (1:32:08)

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