Roma Gaffer Attempting Retain All Their Veterans | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini has started pulling his way on the transfer market after winning the power struggle with Claudio Ranieri, and if it were up to him, he’d re-up with all the Roma players currently on expiring contracts, Sky informs.

That goes for Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, but also Zeki Celik and Stephan El Shaarawy. The last two seemed to have more than one foot out the door. The coach stated his intentions to the hierarchy, who will have to make the numbers work.

Roma had long been plotting to contain their payroll. Not renewing some expensive deals is the easiest way to do it. La Joya is by far the highest-paid player on the squad, which is particularly damaging given his injury history. He and the captain would have to accept a significantly lower rate. Instead, the Turkish fullback is seeking a higher salary, as his status improved a lot this campaign.

Per Corriere dello Sport, Gasperini is satisfied with the tightness and harmony inside the group and would like to keep it intact, if possible. The brass might have halted the extension talks for a minute amid a recent slump, but Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini have already inked their new contracts.

Despite the buzz, Dybala hasn’t agreed to terms with Boca Juniors at this stage. He’d be happy to stay in the Eternal City for another year and has given his priority to his current team.

Our Take on the Roma Veterans

Tending to these negotiations is a problem when their sporting director is in hanging by a thread. Perhaps the players will be patient, and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League could lead to a higher budget and a revised strategy.