Roma Increase the Level of Experience of Their Roster | OneFootball

Roma didn’t complete two deals they had set up last week, Jayden Oosterwolde and Morato, but they still got busy, signing Martin De Roon from Atalanta and Leonardo Balerdi from Olympique Marseille.

The Giallorossi didn’t finalize the deal with Fenerbahce because the fullbacks’ injury was more severe than anticipated. They tried to change the terms, but in vain. They aren’t tracking new options for now, as their youth product Emanuele Lulli has proven to be serviceable.

Roma didn’t onboard Morato because Nottingham Forest insisted on an immediate permanent deal. Instead, the Ligue 1 side accepted a loan with a €15M conditional obligation to buy. He was no longer part of the plans after being a stalwart for 6 seasons and piling up 200 appearances.

The Giallorossi pounced on a similar situation with De Roon. Maurizio Sarri picked Gianluca Gaetano to anchor his new-look midfield. He asked out when his long-time gaffer came calling, and Atalanta didn’t stand in his way. He’ll replace Neil El Aynaoui, who’s headed to RB Leipzig for a potential €29M package, Sky reports.

As for their frontline, they are working on Zenit’s Luiz Henrique and Stuttgart’s Jamie Leweling, Alfredo Pedullà reports. They could add a pair if Matias Soulé departs.

Our Take on Roma Signing De Roon and Balerdi

While El Aynaoui never quite fulfilled the potential he showed at Lens, it’s manifest that they wanted to move on from every signing made by their previous director that wasn’t signed off by Gian Piero Gasperini. Time will tell whether they’ll regret some exits. In the meantime, they have played it safe with two known commodities who won’t cause trouble and provide a solid contribution when called upon.