Reports: Kluivert Agrees to Roma Deal

After signing Ante Coric last week from Dinamo Zagreb, Monchi continues to attempt to acquire players to build a stronger Roma for the upcoming season. As reported by CdT ,the next acquisition is Porto central defender Ivan Maracno who arrived in the capital yesterday. Today Marcano is undergoing his medical so that the free transfer can become official.

However, Monchi isn’t stopping there as new reports have emerged on two players previously identified on CdT as potential targets: Bryan Cristante and Justin Kluivert.

Bryan Cristante

Reports in today’s Corriere dello Sport state that Roma have now emerged as the only true candidate for Cristante and Atalanta officials met with Monchi Tuesday to work on a deal. The publication states that the two sides agreed on a valuation of the midfielder at 25 million Euros and now just the details must be worked out. CdS reports that it will be a cash plus player deal to offset Roma’s out of pocket spending.

The exact amount being sent over is unknown. However, the Italian sports daily is reporting that Gregoire Defrel would be the player heading to Bergamo in the deal. It’s said that Defrel is preferred by Atalanta over youngster Marco Tumminello, who they consider too inexperienced. Roma still have to get the OK from Defrel, who was previously pursued by Atalanta during his Cesena days. Defrel will not be sent over on a permanent transfer, as Roma don’t want to lose out after paying 22 million for him last summer. This isn’t a done deal yet, but if the reports from CdS are accurate then this could be the next move up Monhci’s sleeve after Marcano and Coric.

Justin Kluivert

The name of young Ajax star, Just Kluivert, has been linked to Roma more and more heavily in recent weeks. Now both CdS and Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that Monchi met in Monte Carlo with his agent, Mino Raiola, yesterday. In addition, reports from both publications say that Monchi was able to convince both player and agent that Roma is the right move over Inter, and agreed to personal terms at two million Euros per season. CdS reports that his father also believes that this is the right move over one to the Premier League, at this point in his career. Despite the reports Kluivert, who is currently with the Holland U21, was quoted yesterday as saying,

“There are exciting moments coming for me. Let’s see what they’re going to be. In the end, it’s my decision. I’m not a hundred percent convinced yet. I have to think things through. To stay at Ajax is definitely an option. It certainly is.”

The young winger is out of contract with Ajax after one more season and the Dutch side are keen to get him to sign an extension, which would drive up his value on the market. It’s reported that Roma have offered 15 million Euros for Kluivert and Ajax responded with a counteroffer of 35 million. Clearly, the Dutch side doesn’t want to deprive itself of one of its best young assets at a cut rate. However, without Kluivert signing an extension, Monchi most likely won’t go much higher than the 15-20 million range.

It looks like that this could turn into a long drawn out transfer if Kluivert and Raiola can’t pressure Ajax into a sale sooner rather than later. It looks like Monchi might have his work cut out for him in negotiations with the Dutch. Keep an eye out for any updates in the coming days and weeks.