Even with talents like Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Evan Ferguson, and yes, even Artem Dovbyk at his disposal, it’s no secret that Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini covets additional attacking options. Turning back the dial on Jadon Sancho’s days with Dortmund could make Roma’s frontline unstoppable, but thanks to his sky-high wages, the deal may be dead in the water, no matter how intriguing it may seem.
However, with the Romaverse atwitter over the recent Sancho rumors, a noteworthy update may have slipped through the cracks: Roma reportedly has an agreement in place for a more cost-effective alternative.
According to the Corriere dello Sport, Roma and wantaway Wolverhampton forward Fabio Silva have agreed to a five-year deal worth €2.5 million per season. Silva, 23, has struggled to adapt to life in England since signing with Wolves in 2020 on a €40 million transfer—a Wolverhampton club record. After turning in a respectable four goals and three assists in approximately 1,300 league minutes in 2020, Silva has spent the past three seasons trotting around Western Europe, making loan stops with Anderlecht, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, and Las Palmas, where he had a career year, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists in 1,866 minutes.
Seemingly unhappy with life in Wolverhampton, Silva has been angling for a move to Roma for the past few weeks. While Roma and Silva have agreed on a contract, the minor issue of his transfer fee remains. With only one year left on his deal, Roma hopes to get a discount on his €20 million valuation, but Wolverhampton has stayed firm so far. However, according to the CdS report, Roma is willing to increase their offer if their Premier League rivals agree to a loan with an option to buy.
He may lack Sancho’s name recognition, but Fabio Silva wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. As always, stay tuned!