Report: Roma Shopping Shomurodov & Viña

Despite all the research, data analysis, and scouting that goes into recruiting and signing players, the transfer market is as much an art as it is a science. No GM or DS in the game aces every signing, and sometimes players who excelled with one club flop with their new team; that's just the nature of the beast. However, Roma's man behind the plan, Tiago Pinto, has done an impeccable job polishing the rough edges off the Giallorossi's roster while signing big-ticket items like Tammy Abraham and Paulo Dybala.

But even someone as young and forward-thinking as Pinto has a few blemishes on his roster. Case in point: Eldor Shomurodov and Matías Viña. While we can give Pinto a bit of slack on the latter (Viña was an emergency purchase after Leonardo Spinazzola was injured at last summer's European Championships), he put his neck on the line by signing Shomurodov—a 26-year-old forward with 24 career league goals—to an €18 million deal.

While Shomurdov cuts an impressive athletic figure, he never seemed to earn Roma's faith. He garnered only 1,107 minutes in all competitions last season, scoring four goals and providing six assists along the way. Considering how little he played, that's a decent return, but by no means was it commensurate with his transfer fee.

Heading into year two of the Mourinho Makeover, the club planned on giving the now 27-year-old winger a second look during the club's pre-season retreat in Portugal. However, according to the Corriere dello Sport, the club hasn't been impressed with his progress, to the point where they're reportedly shopping him around the league.

While nothing concrete has come through, the club may have to settle for a short-term loan and hope he impresses enough to convince his new club to assume the balance of his five-year contract.

We'll provide updates as they become available, but it may take all of Pinto's cunning to find new homes for these two increasingly ostracized players.