Il Messaggero: Roma & Pinto to Prioritize Contract Renewals for Zaniolo, SES & More

As is often the case, when the transfer rumor mill runs dry, the Roman media shifts its attention to contract renewals. While not nearly as exciting, identifying and retaining your key players is perhaps a football executive's most important job. And for Roma GM Tiago Pinto, with deals for several of the club's most prominent players expiring over the next 18-24 months, the pressure to extend these deals is mounting by the day.

And according to Il Messaggero, Pinto is hard at work prioritizing deals for several players, including Nicolo Zaniolo.

While the article is behind a paywall, the following list of expiring deals gives us a glimpse of the challenge facing Tiago Pinto.

Expiring in 2023

• Georginio Wijnaldum (pending loan option)
• Mady Camara (pending loan option)
• Andrea Belotti (pending loan option)
• Nemanja Matic
• Ante Coric
• William Bianda
• Stephan El Shaarawy
• Chris Smalling

Expiring in 2024

• Rui Patricio
• Leonardo Spinazzola
• Bryan Cristante
• Nicolo Zaniolo

Few Roma fans will miss Coric or Bianda, who combined to play 24 league minutes for Roma, but between Zaniolo, Smalling, Cristante, Spinazzola, and El Shaarawy, we're looking at several key pieces in José Mourinho's first team rotation. Roma can breathe a bit easier since Smalling, Belotti, and Matic each have clauses and/or easy-to-achieve incentives that will extend their current deals through 2024 and beyond, but Pinto remains hard at work on Zaniolo and Cristante's renewals, with both players seemingly content to continue their careers in the capital, though no agreement has yet been reached.

And while no one will confuse El Shaarawy for Zaniolo or Paulo Dybala, his recent injury has underscored his importance to the club. As the top attacking option off the bench, the 29-year-old remains a crucial piece of Mourinho's puzzle. Still, he may need to come down off his €3 million salary to facilitate a new deal with Roma, according to Il Messaggero.

As if these tasks weren't daunting enough, push the timeline to 2025, and Pinto may soon have to hammer out new deals for players like Nicola Zalewski, Paulo Dybala, and Roger Ibañez.

There's never a dull moment in Rome, but if Pinto can secure new deals for these players, the Giallorossi will be top four contenders for years to come.