Roma general manager Tiago Pinto confirms Chelsea have a buy-back clause on Tammy Abraham and has a stark warning for fans when asked if Nicolò Zaniolo will remain next season. ‘Nobody can guarantee that.’
The Portuguese director held a press conference this afternoon following the close of the January transfer window.
He was able to reinforce Jose Mourinho’s squad with Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan from Arsenal and Sergio Oliveira on loan with option to buy from FC Porto, but didn’t bolster the midfield as much as he’d have liked.
Some suggested this was due to Amadou Diawara refusing all options, including Valencia, Salernitana and Venezia.
“Diawara did not block anything. Football is like a marriage, if all parties aren’t happy, then it won’t get done. It’s not true that the third signing did not arrive because Diawara remained, as after Oliveira we said the market was closed on January 12.
“People complain I don’t speak enough, but I don’t like. Joao Moutinho was a joke dreamed up by social media, which fuelled the newspapers. Boubacar Kamara was a lie too, we never negotiated for him. So stop calling them objectives we missed out on, because we didn’t go for them at all.”
The target they did miss out on was Denis Zakaria, who instead joined Juventus from Borussia Monchengladbach.
“That’s different! When you try to sign a player, there are many factors that influence his decision. It’s true that our scouting system was keeping an eye on him.”
When it comes to the future, Tiago Pinto warned the situation has not changed that much from the days of James Pallotta, when star names were always potentially on the way out.
Even Abraham, signed from Chelsea for €40m plus bonuses, has a buy-back clause for the Stamford Bridge club.
“It’s true, that clause does exist, but we are not worried. It’s only valid from 2023, but I am not concerned. I am happy because he is playing well and can get even better.”
Tiago Pinto was asked if Zaniolo will be at Roma next season and the answer was again not reassuring.
“Nobody can guarantee that.”
Può garantire che Zaniolo giocherà alla Roma l’anno prossimo? Tiago Pinto: “Non posso” https://t.co/EtMgtk0SxG
— TUTTOmercatoWEB (@TuttoMercatoWeb) February 1, 2022
It’s Roma. Of course Zaniolo will leave in the summer. Happens every year.
Roma want to lose all their best players. They have a midfield of Cristante, Veretout and Pellegrini. They also have Zaniolo and Mkhitaryan who can be used wide, as forwards or as midfielders. But playing them both wide, you don’t have enough goal scoring variation. And Abraham is not a prolific striker, at least not yet.
So what does The Special One do? He signs Oliveira (fine, tho he’s really taking a spot from someone better), and he’s interested in…Xhaka. LOL! Stop. Please. Someone can sign Xhaka and he could maybe grow up, but it’s not at Roma.
IMO: Zaniolo will leave regardless. Having said that… nevermind the fact that he is injury prone. He is also immature and has a sense of entitlement as evidenced by his constant diving at the slightest touch. Don’t even get me started on his past social media exploits…. But again, just my opinion as a life long Roma tifosi.