Ranieri discusses Roma’s FFP constraints: “We will have to sell to comply with the parameters.” | OneFootball

This afternoon, Claudio Ranieri spoke to Sky Sport.

This is the senior advisor’s first public statement since Gasperini’s presentation in June.

Ranieri discussed the most important issues of the recent period, from the transfer market to Financial Fair Play, to the contract renewals of Dybala and Pellegrini.

“We’ll have to keep our accounts in order. We’ll see how the season goes, how we finish, how we’ll perform in the Europa League. These are all new entries that will bring added value.”

“Then, eventually, we’ll have to sell someone, because we can’t afford to get flagged. The scenario is this: even if we were fortunate enough to reach the Champions League, if we get flagged we wouldn’t be able to compete. We really need to keep our accounts in order.”

“The rumored deal for Sancho? Financially, it was very, very burdensome, but the Friedkins would have done it to please the coach. Of course, we would have had to sell someone: until a valuable player came along, we couldn’t have done it.”

“But I don’t think that valuable player would ever have been sold, because we want to keep valuable players. More generally, we’ve brought in some young players, hoping that with the new coach they’ll be fully developed. Because if necessary, we’d have to sell and meet the parameters of this Financial Fair Play.”

“What players do we want to target specifically? Certainly strong, because we are Roma, and young but already with some hope. I repeat, we are Roma, not a team without ambitions of reaching the cup competitions. We need players with great promise, and that’s why the Friedkins chose a coach whose pedigree includes this quality: the ability to discover and bring out the best in every player. We expect this.”

“There’s total cooperation within the management.  I don’t know how many video calls, calls, and messages I’ve made day after day. If you don’t see me, it’s because I don’t want to: I don’t have to and don’t want to be seen. There’s the coach, the players… they’re the ones who need to be shown off. I stay behind the scenes and try to help in my own small way, whatever I can. I truly do it with all my heart for Roma.”

“I repeat: we’ve met with the Friedkins several times. Of course, there may be, if not disagreements, different opinions, and that’s precisely why we brainstorm: we think, we talk, we dissect all the issues that exist, and then the owners decide.”

“Gasperini’s appointment? When we made a list and the Friedkins chose Gasperini, we were sure of him. There was talk of antipathy, but I said that for me it was even more than antipathy: it was something more, a truly difficult opponent to face. But then when you have him in your favor, things change. He’s a coach who demands, demands the best from himself first and then from others: so this is what was needed for the club in Rome. I’m absolutely convinced of it and I’m absolutely convinced that he’ll have a great season.”

“Dybala and Pellegrini’s contracts? I think everything will depend on this current season. The coach always wants to win, so he’ll field players he believes can help Roma win in that particular match. Let’s remember Atalanta: he often changes and varies his attackers precisely because he demands that extra pressing and determination from them. It depends on what they do, not just them: all the players have to give their best, and then the decision will be made during the year.”