Genoa block Johan Vásquez move: Roma wanted him, but he stayed | OneFootball

Johan Vásquez came close to being involved in one of the biggest moves of his career during the last summer transfer window. The Mexican defender reportedly drew interest from several European clubs, but in the end Genoa decided to keep him in their squad and block his departure.

According to information from Claro Sports journalist Daniel Reyes, several teams kept a close eye on the center-back over the summer, although the most advanced interest reportedly came from Roma.

Roma inquired about Johan Vásquez

The ‘Lupa’ viewed the Mexican’s signing favorably as a way to strengthen its defense, and there was reportedly concrete interest in bringing him to the Italian capital.

However, the departure of Genoa’s sporting director ended up affecting the negotiations and, according to the report, prevented Vásquez from leaving the club.

Unable to complete the signing, Roma ultimately turned to Konstantinos Koulierakis, a 22-year-old Greek defender from Wolfsburg, for whom they paid around €16.5 million.

Juventus and other clubs were also keeping tabs on him

Roma was reportedly not the only team interested in the Mexican. In Italy, Juventus also closely followed Vásquez’s profile, especially because of the experience he has built up in Serie A.

Outside Italy, other suitors also emerged. Eintracht Frankfurt, Besiktas, and Atlético de Madrid reportedly monitored his situation, although none of those approaches developed into formal negotiations.

With the transfer window closed, Vásquez and his camp chose to continue at Genoa, where the Mexican has become an important part of the team.

Johan Vásquez, a key player for Genoa

The Mexican center-back remains one of the rossoblù side’s leaders and is looking to help the team steer clear of trouble near the bottom of the standings.

At the start of the 2026–27 season, Vásquez has made six appearances and scored two goals, numbers that also reflect his attacking impact early in the campaign.

He will now pause his activity with Genoa to join the Mexican National Team, which is entering a new stage under Rafa Márquez.

The defender will be available for friendlies against Colombia, Peru, the United States, and Chile before returning to Italy to rejoin Genoa ahead of the match against Fiorentina, corresponding to the sixth round.

For now, ‘Il Capitano’ is staying in Genoa. Although several clubs asked about him, Genoa made it clear they were not willing to part easily with one of their main leaders.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.