Il Tempo: Pinto to Meet With Davide Frattesi's Agent—Deal is Close

It's been quite an eventful spring/summer for young Davide Frattesi. Fresh off an impressive rookie season with Sassuolo, one in which the 22-year-old Roman scored four goals and provided three assists in 36 league appearances, Frattesi was quickly linked with a move back to his boyhood club. With €30 million figures bandied about in the press, Frattesi fast became one of the most discussed and most sought-after names on the transfer market.

While the usual heavyweights took their shots, with Roma retaining a 30% stake in any future sale, the Giallorossi have a decided advantage over their transfer market rivals. Despite that negotiating leverage, and despite the fact that Frattesi has reportedly already agreed to personal terms with the club, Roma hasn't been able to seal the deal with Sassuolo just yet.

The Giallorossi and Neroverdi have a solid working relationship, having come together on numerous deals over the past several years—including a near-identical situation involving Lorenzo Pellegrini back in 2017—but that kinship hasn't greased the wheels as much as we'd hoped.

But Roma GM Tiago Pinto is taking matters into his own hands:

Earlier today, Il Tempo's Alessandro Austini reported that Pinto hosted Frattesi's agent, Beppe Riso, at Trigoria with an eye on pushing this deal over the finish line. According to Austini's report, while Roma and Frattesi have come to terms on a contract that will pay him approximately €2 million after taxes, the two clubs remain at a slight impasse. Sassuolo are holding firm in their €30 million valuation for Frattesi, which would cost Roma roughly €22 million once their 30% resale stake is factored into the equation, but Pinto hasn't taken the bait yet.

With Sassuolo digging their heels in, Pinto is reportedly leaning on Riso to serve as a mediator between the two clubs, with Il Tempo speculating they may just meet in the middle and settle on a €25 million transfer, though that figure could drop if Roma are willing to include Cristian Volpato as a makeweight in the deal.

Either way, with Frattesi dreaming of Roma and Roma only, this deal still feels like a formality, Sassuolo's tough negotiating stance notwithstanding. If Pinto's latest ploy proves successful, the club hopes to complete the deal before their summer training camp begins on July 12th in Portugal.

Stay tuned. The prodigal son will return... it's just a matter of when.