Rome Transfer Market: Gasperini Shakes Things Up—The Target That Seemed Out of Reach Is Now Surprisingly Closer

With the Rodrigo Mora deal set to close successfully (they’re just waiting for the paperwork to be exchanged to make the Portuguese talent’s arrival—born in 2007—official), Roma’s management has shifted its focus to another major target. Sporting director Tony D’Amico, acting on direct instructions from Gian Piero Gasperini, has been working diligently in recent hours to revive a pursuit that, until a few days ago, seemed to have been definitively shelved—one involving Malick Fofana.

Inquiries had been made recently regarding the Belgian national team player, born in 2005, but Lyon had demanded 45 million with no intention of lowering their asking price, effectively shutting the door (or so it was thought) on any room for negotiation with the Giallorossi. Today, however, the scenario is quite different: the red-and-blue club is forced to sell for financial reasons and could make its asking price far more affordable, with the goal of raising funds in the final two weeks of the summer transfer window.

Fofana’s name has therefore resurfaced within Giallorossi circles: initially, he was considered a sort of Plan B in case Rodrigo Mora didn’t join, but as reported by ‘Radio Manà Manà Sport,’ Gasperini has apparently convinced D’Amico to make a move for him anyway, to secure an additional option for what promises to be a grueling season spanning the league, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League.

Interest in Luis Henrique remains in the background: the player, currently with Inter, is waiting to see how the situation unfolds and remains one of the candidates, having already given his consent to the transfer; however, Roma has chosen not to finalize the deal immediately in order to focus all its efforts on the Fofana front. However, interest in the Brazilian is far from over, and the situation could change rapidly from one day to the next.