Report: Roma Make Offer for Boca’s Agustin Almendra

Roma threw a curveball into the last 48 hours of transfer rumours, as Gianluca Petrachi reportedly pushes to land Argentina U-20 international Agustin Almendra from Boca Juniors. Truthfully, I like this transfer rumour purely because it got me to watching Almendra’s highlights to figure out who he is.

Unlike a lot of highlights packages that go nowhere, Almendra has done enough on the pitch already that his highlight reel actually shows useful moves strung together, constantly recovering the ball and taking opponents out of the game.

More than that, he’s the spitting image of how Emerson (the Puma) used to play in Rome.

Same stride, same body language and hopefully the same defensive acumen to marry Agustin Almendra’s explosive eye for the goal further up field, too. What will it take to secure the spiritual return of Emerson to the capital?

Several sources report that 19-year old Almendra’s contract has a 25 million euro release clause lodged in. But given his age, relative inexperience and Boca’s documented financial worries of the last 12 months, sporting director and ex-Roma player Nicolas Burdisso is willing to talk to interested clubs Porto, Sevilla, Napoli and Roma for a lower sum.

Gazzetta dello Sport claim Roma’s transfer guru Petrachi just wrapped up successful talks with Almendra’s agent, and is ready to test Boca waters with a 20 million euro offer.

GdS’ Nicolò Shira reports that Jordan Veretout remains Roma’s first choice to reinforce their deep-lying midfield this coming season but Il Romanista’s Daniele Trecca claims Veretout’s agent is wearing out the patience of Napoli, Milan and Roma by constantly trying to spark up a bidding war among all three Serie A clubs to hike up the Fiorentina midfielder’s wages.

That leaves Roma’s Petrachi covering his bases and looking to the future with all-action Almendra.