With Roma looking for a new centre-back in the January transfer window, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims the Giallorossi regret selling Riccardo Calafiori as the 21-year-old is among the most exciting defenders in Serie A this season.
Calafiori joined Basel from Roma on a permanent €4m transfer in 2022 after playing 429 minutes in José Mourinho’s first season in the capital. The Giallorossi also obtained a 40% clause on any future sale and saw Calafiori join Bologna in a new €4m deal last summer.
The Italian defender had mostly played as a left-back before his transfer to the Stadio Dall’Ara, but under Thiago Motta, he has become a reliable centre-back, so much so Italy coach Luciano Spalletti has recently claimed the 21-year-old is ‘ready’ to play for the Azzurri.
Wednesday’s printed edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, page 14, claims Roma regret selling Calafiori, especially because they are now desperate to sign a new centre-back in the winter transfer window.
With Chris Smalling and Marash Kumbulla injured and Even N’Dicka on international duty for the AFCON in January, José Mourinho will play Bryan Cristante and Zaki Celik in a three-man defence against Cremonese in Coppa Italia tonight, while the Giallorossi have barely €1m available for a new purchase this month unless Renato Sanches and/or Leonardo Spinazzola leave.
Gazzetta journalist Massimo Cecchini asked how ‘nobody before Thiago Motta’ had realised Calafiori could become an excellent centre-back. ‘It was enough to look up and observe him with imagination,’ he concluded.
TYPICAL ITALIAN TEAMS SELLING THEIR YOUNGS FOR PEANUTS AND THEM GOING ON TO DO BRILLIANTLY ELSEWHERE. THIS IS WHY WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION NATIONALLY NOW, HES MUCH BETTER THAN KAMBULLA AND SMALLING TOO TO BE HONEST (ROMA FAN)