The AS Roma fans may be the most excited of all about how their summer transfer window has panned out.
The optimism around the team is greater than it has been for many years and there is a genuine belief that they will be in the top four when the season comes to an end next June.
They have signed three high-profile stars who should raise the level of the team considerably. They have also added some important depth in other areas of the squad.
AS Roma signings
Paulo Dybala: This is the headline deal for Roma this summer and it is one that they may not have been able to complete if Jose Mourinho was not the coach. Dybala had been very clear that he wanted to play in the Champions League at his new club and that is not what he’ll get at Roma.
They clearly managed to persuade him that he will have an important role in the team and with his added ability, they will be playing in the Champions League next season instead. The Giallorossi will hope that he can produce moments of magic when they really need them throughout the upcoming campaign.
Nemanja Matic: This is a very smart deal from Roma. Whilst Matic may have fallen out of favour at Manchester United, he still has a lot to offer in a midfield where he does not need to be the driving force. Having players such as Lorenzo Pellegrini and Georginio Wijnaldum with him will mean he can place himself in front of the backline and feed the talented forwards. He is much better suited to the pace of Serie A than the Premier League now.
Georginio Wijnaldum: This deal has been very well-timed in the sense that the excitement of the Dybala deal was just starting to level out. The Dutchman arrives with genuine European pedigree after his time at Liverpool and he could thrive as one of the most important players in a team. It remains to be seen where Mourinho fits him into a midfield with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Matic but they’re fantastic options to have.
Zeki Celik: Turkish right-back Celik could be a very good piece of business if he shows that he is either better than Rick Karsdorp, or causes the Dutchman to up his level in the new season to keep his place. Celik was the starting right-back in the Lille side that won Ligue 1 in the 2020/21 season. He is still only 25 years old and only cost £6m.
Mile Svilar: The 22-year-old Serbian goalkeeper has joined the club on a five-year deal after his contract with Benfica ran out. He never quite hit the ground running in Lisbon after a short spell as the number one but he will be able to learn a lot as Rui Patricio’s number two.
AS Roma summer sales
The majority of Roma’s outgoings this summer have been players whose loans at other clubs have then been made permanent, which means they’ve recouped a decent amount of money.
According to The Guardian, their current transfer dealings for the summer puts them at a profit of almost £30m. The likes of Alessandro Florenzi, Robin Olsen, Pau Lopez and many more have been purchased by the clubs they were on loan at.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan: As for departures, the loss of Mkhitaryan is the only one that perhaps could hurt the team. The Armenian has been a very important player for the Giallorossi but with the arrivals of Dybala and Wijnaldum, Roma should be able to cope without the former Manchester United man.
Jordan Veretout: The French midfielder has seemed destined to leave the club for much of the summer but they were waiting for the Wijnaldum deal to be announced first. He’s signed for Marseille for just under £10m and with the other players that have come in, Mourinho likely won’t be too concerned about losing Veretout.
In terms of what could transpire towards the end of the transfer window, there is a chance that Nicolo Zaniolo will be leaving. A lot of teams are linked although it has gone fairly quiet recently. Tottenham and Juventus have been following him very closely but the fee that Roma want seems to have put people off.
Every AS Roma summer 2022 transfer
Ins: Paulo Dybala, Nemanja Matic, Georginio Wijnaldum, Zeki Celik, Mile Svilar.
Outs: Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jordan Veretout, Pau Lopez, Cengiz Under, Robin Olsen, Alessandro Florenzi, Riccardo Ciervo, Joel Voelkerling Persson, Tommaso Milanese.
