With Santos declaring that Marcos Leonardo will not leave this summer, Roma are edging closer to a deal with Atalanta for Duvan Zapata instead.
The Giallorossi need at least one striker to replace injured Tammy Abraham, who is out for six months with a serious knee problem.
They have seen several options fall away, including Gianluca Scamacca to Atalanta, while Santos today announced in a press conference they will not let Marcos Leonardo go even after Roma met the €17m including add-ons asking price.
According to Il Romanista, Jose Mourinho’s men have now turned towards Atalanta hitman Duvan Zapata.
They trust that a deal can be done on loan with option to buy at the end of the season, which will become an obligation if certain criteria are met.
These could be appearances or goals scored during the loan period at the Stadio Olimpico.
The overall asking price for the 32-year-old Colombia international should be around €10m.