Ranieri: Dovbyk was ‘not a bad signing’ for Roma, but ‘he must improve’ | OneFootball

Roma head coach Claudio Ranieri insists that he is pleased with what he has seen from striker Artem Dovbyk and that the Ukrainian was not a ‘bad signing’ for the Giallorossi, but has warned that he ‘must improve’.

Dovbyk has posted respectable numbers following his €30.5m move from Girona during the summer transfer window with 11 goals and three assists from 30 Serie A matches this term, but has not always shown the consistency required to hold onto his starting position in the Giallorossi line-up.

Still, Ranieri is not overly concerned. He feels that Dovbyk has had a decent season in terms of goal contributions, and compared his first season to former Roma striker Edin Dzeko, who scored eight goals in his first year at the Olimpico, before netting 29 in the following league campaign.

“I still believe in him,” Ranieri said during his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of Roma’s upcoming match against Fiorentina.

LECCE, ITALY – MARCH 29: Artem Dovbyk of AS Roma during the Serie A match between Lecce and AS Roma at Stadio Via del Mare on March 29, 2025 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Ranieri believes Dovbky ‘not a bad signing’ for Roma, but ‘he must improve’

“He’s a player who has made considerable progress,” Ranieri continued. “He was not a bad signing. There are guys who adapt immediately and some later. You remember Dzeko. He brought us a lot of important points. For a first year, it’s positive.”

Despite the words of encouragement, Ranieri also took an opportunity to motivate Dovbyk before a crucial run of Serie A fixtures for the Giallorossi.

“He must  improve because he has the means and the skills to do so.”

epa11680472 Roma’s Artem Dovbyk scores the 1-0 goal during the UEFA Europa League soccer match AS Roma vs Dynamo Kyiv at Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 24 October 2024. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MEO

Reporters also asked Ranieri if Dovbyk is ‘untransferable’ given the amount that Roma paid to bring him over from LaLiga last summer.

He replied: “I don’t like to talk about these sorts of things. I like to talk about what we could achieve this year. That can distract your concentration.

“What will happen at the end of the season, we’ll talk about at the end of the season. It applies to him (Dovbyk), but it also applies to everyone.”