Roma sporting director Tony D’Amico just wrapped up his first press conference, and while there’s some good news about the club’s summer transfer business, he was brutally honest: the squad is still “numerically short” and realistically missing one player. That’s a huge admission, especially with three competitions on the horizon, including the Champions League.
The Financial Tightrope Walk and Key Retentions
D’Amico kicked things off by hitting us with the reality of UEFA’s restrictions, explaining how the club had to navigate a tough financial landscape. But hey, they partially succeeded! He confirmed they slashed the wage bill by about 15%, which is no small feat. He also pointed out that transfer strategies are always fluid; it’s not just about the fees, but all those tricky wage details. What’s clear is that D’Amico feels good about keeping some serious talent. He’s pleased that right when he got there, four players who were absolute key for Roma last year,Dybala, Pellegrini, Mancini, and Cristante,were acquired/retained. Apparently, the previous management had some “different ideas” about these guys, but D’Amico sees them as important, part of the club’s historic core. He even thanked them for their “desire to stay,” which obviously helped seal the deals.
The Hunt for Attackers and That One Missing Piece
Getting the attack stronger was a huge priority when D’Amico arrived, but he had to “contextualize” those priorities with everything else going on. There were a ton of negotiations happening simultaneously. Rodrigo Mora is available and can play as a winger, which is something. D’Amico also spilled the beans on a couple of targets, saying they were strong on both Summerville and Castro. They landed Castro, but Summerville slipped away due to timing issues. He’s happy with the players who arrived, especially since they were chosen and *wanted* to come to Roma, with very few actually turning the club down. However, the big takeaway here is the numerical shortage. D’Amico straight up said, “Numerically, we may be a little short.” With three competitions, and the Champions League demanding “significant mental and physical effort,” he admits they’re “realistically, missing one player.”
The Celik Drama and D’Amico’s Fresh Start
It wasn’t all smooth sailing though, especially with Celik’s departure. D’Amico said he spoke to Pellegrini first, who is apparently super attached to the shirt, and there was never any doubt he’d stay, unlike Celik. The communication with Celik was a nightmare because he was at the World Cup, and after his renewal was sealed, he just changed his mind. Talk about frustrating! As for D’Amico’s own journey to Rome, he revealed it started when Atalanta gave him the boot. He found a “great club” with amazing support, but he’s also honest about the UEFA agreement limiting his options. Both players and managers need time to get settled, so he’s not expecting miracles overnight.
The sporting director is confident these shortcomings can be fixed. He’s looking to identify a few more profiles in the January transfer window and will evaluate free agents down the line. It’s clear D’Amico has a plan, but keeping an eye on that “one player” they’re missing will be key as Roma battles through three competitions.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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