Roma are starting to line up the possible options to substitute Edin Dzeko in case they can’t find a solution out of the recent standoff in the final days of the transfer market. Olivier Giroud is squarely on top of the list, Corriere dello Sport reported.
The double deal is considered complicated given the short time at disposal to pull it off: The Bosnian striker is de facto frozen out from the squad after an argument with coach Paulo Fonseca late last week and practiced on his own in the last couple of days. At this stage, a new destination deemed suitable by the player has yet to emerge as he reportedly only wants to move to top-tier clubs.
The immediate future of Giroud, who has an expiring contract, will depend on the plans of the recently hired Thomas Tuchel. The Frenchman was previously linked to Inter and Juventus but rejected the proposals saying that he would stay with the Blues until the end of the season and eventually pick a new team in the summer. However, Roma would guarantee him a much bigger role, while the Nerazzurri and the Bianconeri were interested in him as a back-up.
Dzeko and Giroud were almost swapped for one another in January of 2018, but the Bosnian striker ultimately pulled out of the deal at the 11th hour. In this case, the two situations would be connected but develop at different times. The Rome-based outlet also cited Benfica’s Facundo Ferreyra as a last-minute target if the Giallorossi’s efforts to offload Dzeko turned out to be successful and they could not manage to get Giroud.