Still nothing on the manager, the saga at Milan is really dragging this one out. It seems obvious that Allegri is first choice and everything will depend on whether Milan get rid of him. Should that happen there have been a number of consistent candidates being mentioned.
Bielsa, Donadoni and Blanc are some of the names being mentioned as alternatives.
In transfer news, it’s being reported that Burdisso could be released as his contract rises to €4.5m this season. Stekelburg looks set to sign for Fulham shortly while Rafael is destined to come in as his replacement. Sky Italia reporting we are very close to signing Benatia.
All the Italian media are reporting that Benatia is a done deal, some even suggesting we will get him for as low as €6m. Sounds like a great deal. Blanc is the new favourite for the vacant managerial position which worries me. I don’t think he’s a very good coach and the football that France and Bordeaux played under him was awful. Bielsa is a cunt but he would at least try and play exciting and attacking football which is the game we have the players for, of the names now in the hat he would be my choice.
Bielsa would be a fine fit there. Agreed re Blanc, vastly overrated manager
James Horncastle posted the following on twitter:
Strong front-page from Rome’s edition of Il Corriere dello Sport this morning: “Allegri stays at Milan. Roma humiliated.”
Roma will be announcing their new coach in the middle of next week and Sabatini has said that it will not be an Italian. My sources in Rome inform me that the new coach will be ex-Lille coach Rudi Garcia who won the 2011 Ligue 1 title with them. I’m just relieved that it’s not Blanc.
My source also claims that Benatia and Nainggolan will be Roma players shortly.
My sources have told me that Garcia is a done deal and the announcement confirming this will be imminent. I hope to be holding talks with Bandage in the coming weeks to get him back on board.
Rudi Garcia was today appointed Roma’s new coach. I’d like to wish Rudi all the best on behalf of all the Roma supporters on here. Let us hope his tenure is a successful one.
Benatia has confirmed he is on the verge of signing for Roma. This looks like a great bit of business by Roma as the fee is quite modest - reported to be in the region of €7m and co-ownership of either Lopez or Romagnoli. We look like we will have three very strong centre backs next season in Marcos, Castan and Benatia.
A bit more news actually, Genoa have purchased Roma’s share in Tachtsidis while Bertolacci’s co-ownership has been renewed for another season. Viviani and Piscitella have gone to Pescara on co-ownership deals while Valerio Verre returns to Roma from Siena.
Still no news on Benatia since, the deal is supposedly being held up by which players will be included in the deal. Lopez, Romagnoli and Caprari have been all suggested as makeweights, I’d like to keep full ownership of Romagnoli out of all those players.
Doesn’t seem to be much headway with regards a new keeper either with Napoli looking to intercept Rafael. We do seem to have narrowed it down to a shortlist of 4 - Rafael, Julio Cesar, Viviano and Sorrentino. Nainggolan still appears to be our top midfield target, to be honest I’m a little underwhelmed by this, he doesn’t really stand out in the games I have seen to play, seems to have plenty of energy but not a lot else to his game. For the fee being bandied about I feel as if we could do much better.
Garcia also said in his press conference that he will have a big say in the transfers the club makes, he said he would like to bring in some players from Lille and France. The press have deduced the players from Lille that he wants to bring in - Payet who is a French winger and the other is 19 year old left back Digne.
We have bought Destro outright but the bad news is that he may require another operation on the same knee that underwent surgery in January.
The defence probably looks our strongest area with the imminent arrival of Benatia. Marquinhos and Benatia pairing looks like it could be one of the strongest in the league. Castan is another very strong defender to have in reserve. Burdisso looks destined to leave so Romagnoli will probably be our fourth choice centre half. We have been linked with a move for young Croat centre back Jedvaj (17) who is very highly rated. We just lack a pair of full backs to complete the defence.
Midfield is by far our biggest area of weakness as we need three really strong additions in this sector. We will also need some depth in attack. Osvaldo looks likely to be off so we will need to be prudent in spending the money gained from his sale.
Talks remain ongoing with Bandage about a return for the 2013/2014 season and are said to be progressing positively.
Talks that Barcelona are pressing really hard for Marcos and are set to make us an offer of cash plus Sanchez - I would bite their hand off for this, while I rate Marcos at the best young centre half in the world, a team with Lamela and Sanchez lining the flanks would be fearsome.
Osvaldo is also being heavily linked with a departure to Atletico Madrid for around €18.5m. The rumours now suggest we will bring Gilardino in as his replacement - probable swap with Borriello. I’d be very happy with this, it gives us money for a troublesome player that can be reinvested in strengthening weak areas, it will get Borriello off the wage bill and we get in a reliable Serie A scorer as competition/back-up for Destro.
Being reported that Nainggolan is now a done deal, €10m and 50% of Viviani and Verre. So things are beginning to fall into place with deals for Gilardino, Benatia and Naingollan not far away from completion.
