Official: Roma Signs Sardar Azmoun on Loan

After watching their summer transfer plans vanish in thin air the moment Tammy Abraham tore his ACL in the final match of the 2022-2023 season, Roma spent the entire transfer window chasing various replacements. From Gianluca Scamacca to Marcos Leonardo to Duvan Zapata, General Manager Tiago Pinto turned over nearly every stone in Europe searching for a suitable striker to pair with Andrea Belotti, who assumed Abraham's role as the club's top striker.

However, with their preferred targets either too expensive or simply too difficult to acquire, Pinto was forced to wait until the proverbial 11th hour to sign a new striker, bringing Sardar Azmoun on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, a move that was made official moments ago.

Azmoun, 28, arrives from Leverkusen on a one-year loan with a rumored €12 million option to buy. An Iranian international, Azmoun debuted in the Russian Premier League with Rubin Kazan at 18 years old before moving to Rostov and Zenit St. Petersburg, where he truly made a name for himself, scoring 59 goals in 98 total appearances.

Azmoun parlayed his success in Russia into a five-year deal with Bayer Leverkusen. However, with only five goals in 44 appearances, Azmoun struggled to make his mark in the Bundesliga, paving the way for an early exit to Rome.

But that certainly didn't dampen his spirits:

"It's hard to describe the emotions I'm feeling. I'm coming to one of the most prestigious clubs on the international stage, and it would be a dream to be able to win a title in the Roma shirt," said Azmoun.

"Last year, I had the chance to play at the Stadio Olimpico and I'll admit that throughout my career, I have never came across such passionate supporters. Now, I can't wait to fight for them and achieve our goals."

Azmoun will wear the number 17 shirt for Roma and will join a striker rotation that includes Andrea Belotti and potentially Romelu Lukaku, giving the club three genuine options up top.