When Tammy Abraham landed in Roma last summer, few expected him to have such an enormous impact in the Italian capital. Willingly or not, the Englishman had to leave the nest in pursuit of playing time, while the Serie A side were searching the market to find a replacement for Edin Dzeko.
In short, Roma needed an affordable striker and Abraham had to move for a “smaller club. This hardly sound like a recipe for a great success.
And yet, the center forward almost immediately adjusted to life in the Eternal City, cementing himself as pillar at his new club.
Instant Crowd Favorite
When it comes to his prowess as a striker, the 24-year-old’s talent had never been in question. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise to see him strive as the main target man in José Mourinho’s lineup.
Besides from scoring the goals, his link up with his teammates has been nothing short of fabulous. It took Abraham no time at all to build a great understanding with the likes of Nicolò Zaniolo, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Nevertheless, it’s his ever-growing rapport with the Tifosi that has been one of most unlikely Calcio love stories we’ve seen in recent memory.
From the get-go, Abraham has become a crowd favorite at Roma. The fans overwhelmed him with love, and in return, the Brit completely embraced the club’s culture.
Whether it’s singing (or more accurately rhyming) Antonio Venditti’s masterpiece that serves as the club’s infamous anthem, or simply celebrating with the supporters following every last-gasp winner, Tammy has become a true stalwart in the Italian capital. A fine performance against Lazio in the Derby della Capitale was only the icing on the cake.
But the question remains: For how long?
Is Abraham Destined to Follow Lukaku?
Unfortunately for Roma, this is a club that has been repeatedly forced to sell its major stars in the past. The last two great players to depart the Eternal City were Mohamed Salah in 2017 and Alisson Becker who followed suit a year later.
In fairness, the Friedkin family is yet to sell a major player since taking over in 2020. However, that it is perhaps due to the fact that the club lacked desirable stars. But with Abraham firing on all cylinders, someone will surely test the will of the Roma management in the near future.
After all, this is an English player we’re talking about. And which top Premier League side doesn’t desire a classic English hitman who can lead their frontline while being extremely marketable?
At some point, homeland will be calling Abraham, and while Roma fans might not want to admit it, he will find it hard to resist the call.
In this day and age, Serie A clubs are simply unable to withstand the tempting offers that arrive from English shores. Not even the reigning champions Inter were able to maintain Romelu Lukaku when Chelsea came knocking for their ex.
Eventually, the Belgian returned to the Stamford Bridge in a move that spelled the end of Abraham’s time in West London. But Tammy took a page from his colleague’s book, and decided to relaunch his career in the Italian peninsula.
In an surprising twist of fate, Abraham is enjoying life at Roma, while Lukaku is feeling the nostalgia for his happy days in Milano.
But Nevertheless, there will come a time when the English man takes yet another step on the Belgian’s path and seals a return to the Premier League.
Of course this wouldn’t make Abraham a hypocrite or a turncoat. When the man says he’s in love with Roma, he absolutely means it and from the bottom of his heart, and Roma should rightfully return the favor for as long as lingers at the club.
But as we all know, times change, and so do circumstances.
Abraham will most likely leave Roma at some point, especially with the club struggling to finish in the top four. Some will weep for his departure, and the player himself could probably rue the day he left, as he’s unlikely to find the same ambience and passion anywhere else.
But in the era of professionalism, there’s so little room left for unlikely love stories.