AS Roma are one step closer to the Europa League Final after beating Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 in a tense first leg, and they are still within five points of a top-four spot in Serie A. At worst, they have secured qualification for next season’s Conference League, though obviously the Giallrossi have aspirations for more. But of course, if they win the Europa League, they will be in the 2023/24 Champions League no matter what.
José Mourinho has frequently pointed out Roma’s issue of depth in comparison to other top clubs in Serie A, such as Inter Milan. The Portuguese manager just does not have the amount of options other clubs do, which is an important thing to note when comparing teams at the top of the table.
Thus, Roma should be proactive in the coming summer transfer market, regardless of if Mourinho is the manager next season or note.
Here are five possible transfer targets for the Giallrossi in summer 2023.
Lyon CM Houssem Aouar
Reports already indicate that Houssem Aouar is close to signing with Roma, as the Lyon midfielder is a free agent this summer. Aouar was once coveted by clubs like Arsenal, Juventus, and Real Madrid, but Lyon did not like the offers they were given in the summer 2020 transfer window.
Since then, Aouar’s reputation has actually declined, but some of that is down to how poorly Lyon have underperformed as a squad. They have yet to find a competent manager either, with French legend Laurent Blanc already rumored to be on the chopping block. And let’s not get into the disaster that was Peter Bosz.
Aouar may seem like a curious fit under disciplinarian José Mourinho, but the former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager is exactly the kind of figure Aour needs to light a fire under him. The 24-year-old has to know that he is at a make-or-break stage in his career when it comes to fulfilling his top-class potential, and Mourinho can help us all find out where Aouar lies.
On the ball, few midfielders are skilled as he is, and he could be an ideal fit for Serie A and Mourinho in transitions. Definitely keep an eye on this transfer story.
Union Berlin CB Danilho Doekhi
Danilho Doekhi is wanted by a number of Serie A clubs, with Inter Milan also standing out as an excellent landing spot for the quiet Bundesliga breakout star.
The average football fan probably doesn’t know who Doekhi is, but astute observers are likely quite excited by what the young center back has done with Union Berlin.
Stellar defensively in the Bundesliga and Europa League, Doekhi has been dribbled past just 0.1 times per game in European competition with four combined tackles and interceptions per contest.
Even with Chris Smalling expected to stay in Rome for another season, the Giallorossi could use another central defender. They don’t have enough quality at the position, which could be painfully seen when Bryan Cristante had to start in the heart of the back three while getting bullied by Romelu Lukaku in a key fixture.
Eintracht Frankfurt CB Evan N’Dicka
A free agent center back from the Bundesliga, Evan N’Dicka is on the radar of a number of clubs this summer. He’d be a nice pick-up for free, though fans have to be careful not to overrate him because of the transfer rumor mill.
N’Dicka is another player who started his career with a ton of promise, as he was a sensation in his “rookie” season of 2018/19 for an excellent Eintracht Frankfurt side. Though overshadowed by the attacking talent on the Eagles, N’Dicka piqued the interest of diehard Bundesliga fans.
The Frenchman needs to be more consistent, but his talent level is high. Like Houssem Aouar, he could be a better fit for Serie A with his composure on the ball and willingness to stick it out when marking top strikers off the ball.
Sassuolo CM Davide Frattesi
Lecce’s Morten Hjulmand is a rising star for Roma to watch closely on the summer transfer market, but another midfielder with interest from the Giallorossi and rivals Juventus should be seen as a priority.
A Davide Frattesi reunion in the Italian capital looks like a real possibility this summer. Frattesi is one of the most touted young midfielders in the country, and he’d add a level of progressive quality on the ball and defensive grit that José Mourinho craves.
This season, the 23-year-old has found the back of the net six times for Sassuolo, while also showing his usual willingness to get stuck in and win the ball defensively. Frattesi has a great deal of energy, and the attacking players would benefit greatly from his ability to pressure the opposition midfield into precarious errors.
Monza GK Michele Di Gregorio
Rui Patricio’s performances have declined in the 2022/23 season, as he has been arguably the most disappointing goalkeeper in Serie A. There are a number of possible replacements for the Giallorossi, though many of them, such as Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez, do not seem to be realistic.
Roma and Mourinho may not be ready to give up on Patricio fully yet, so they could sign an affordable, realistic target who has a track record of success in Serie A to compete with the Portuguese keeper.
Michele Di Gregorio has been one of the better shot-stoppers in Serie A this season, constantly coming up with big saves to help overachievers Monza pick up valuable points in the table.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.