Probability ranking: which players could reinforce Roma in January? | OneFootball

Claudio Ranieri is on course to turn Roma’s underwhelming 2024/25 season around, but the club’s transfer dealings in January could make all the difference.

After sacking Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric earlier in the campaign, Roma had to bring the 73 year-old veteran out of retirement to find a way out of a severe crisis.

Last Friday’s 3-1 home rout of Genoa extended Roma’s unbeaten run to six matches for the first time this term, as fans using a VPN to follow live action online enjoyed a spectacle at the Stadio Olimpico.

Marquee summer signing Artem Dovbyk opened the scoring midway through the first half to take his seasonal tally in Serie A to seven goals, a far cry from his 24-goal haul in La Liga last year.

However, it’s fair to say the Ukrainian center-forward lacked adequate support in attack for most of the season, with Paulo Dybala and Alexis Saelemaekers often struggling with injuries.

It’s up to Roma sporting director Florent Ghisolfi to secure a much-needed strength in depth down the final stretch of the January transfer window.

With less than ten days left before the curtain drops on the winter session, the Giallorossi must work around the clock to reinforce Ranieri’s squad.

First coup already in the bag

Dutch right-back Devyne Rensch is on the verge of completing his move from Ajax to Rome for a reported fee of €6 million.

Negotiations have panned out as expected, with the former Europa League winners beating Marseille and Napoli to the 22 year-old’s signature.

Rensch’s arrival could be a transformative signing for Roma, considering Zeki Celik has failed to live up to the billing. Celik’s abysmal form has recently forced Ranieri to play Saelemaekers out of position.

However, Rensch’s acquisition could unlock the AC Milan loanee’s full attacking potential.

Talks with Rossoneri underway

Following an injury-hit start to life in the capital, Saelemaekers has gone from strength to strength under Ranieri, nailing down a starting berth as his own.

Impressed with the 25-year-old’s performances, Roma have opened talks with Milan over the Belgian’s permanent transfer to the Olimpico.

According to Calciomercato, last season’s Serie A runners-up tried to include the out-of-sorts Matias Soule in the deal.

But Ghisolfi has quickly turned down such an idea.

Napoli outcast remains viable target

Giacomo Raspadori’s career at Napoli collapsed after Antonio Conte brought his former Inter Milan pupil Romelu Lukaku to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Left on the fringes, the former Sassuolo forward is open to leaving Naples this winter, with Roma recently inquiring about his services.

Despite his immense struggle at Napoli, Raspadori’s talent is undeniable, plus he boasts a wealth of experience in Serie A.

Yet, Roma must offload Eldor Shomurodov to make room for the diminutive Italian forward.

Inter ace firmly in Roma crosshairs

Davide Frattesi would be a cherry on top. However, Inter are reluctant to let the 25-year-old depart Giuseppe Meazza at the halfway point of the campaign.

More precisely, they’d only sanction his exit for a fee in the region of €45 million, a price too steep for Roma.

Confidence comes from Frattesi’s desire to cut ties with the reigning holders, as he already filed a transfer request.

Frattesi’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, is working tirelessly to facilitate his client’s return to his old stomping ground.

Indeed, Frattesi came through the Roma academy before joining Sassuolo in 2017.

He favors a romantic Giallorossi reunion after tumbling down the pecking order at Inter, but Roma are yet to find common ground with the Nerazzurri.

It feels that Roma’s best chance of pulling off this deal would be to wait until the last 48 hours of the transfer window to make a final push.

Nonetheless, it’s a long shot.

How Roma could look after January

(3-5-2): Svilar; Ndicka, Hummels, Mancini; Rensch, Kone, Frattesi, Pellegrini, Angelino; Dybala, Dovbyk