Roma Transfer Market: Major Moves in Defense—The Giallorossi Are Knocking on the Premier League’s Door

Roma is preparing to make another move in the transfer market, with a particular focus on the defense. The imminent departure of Jan Ziolkowski—who has agreed to a loan move to Monza with an option to buy—has prompted the Giallorossi to begin evaluating a new candidate for the center-back position: In recent hours, the name of Morato has emerged—a Brazilian center back born in 2001 who is owned by Nottingham Forest.

According to reports from Sky Sports UK, Roma’s management is very taken with the defender’s profile and has reportedly begun actively monitoring the situation. Morato is considered a modern center back: physical, aggressive, skilled in the air, and with a clean, precise build-up game—qualities that would align with the Giallorossi’s tactical needs, especially if Ziolkowski were to leave.

Born Felipe Rodrigues da Silva but known to everyone by the name of his birthplace (Francisco Morato in Brazil, to be precise), Morato came up through the youth systems of Portuguesa and São Paulo before moving to Europe in 2019, joining Benfica, where until 2023 he split his time between the B team in the Segunda Liga and the first team in Portugal’s top division, which they won in 2023.

In August 2024, he transferred to Nottingham Forest, where over two seasons he made more than sixty appearances and even scored once—on the penultimate matchday of last season at Manchester United. His market value stands at around 15 million euros, a figure Roma is prepared to invest to provide Gian Piero Gasperini with an additional defensive option in a season in which the Giallorossi will be competing on three fronts: Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League.