Roma and Al-Ittihad have shaken hands over a €12 million deal as Houssem Aouar packs his bags and switches to Saudi Arabia. According to Gianluca Di Marzio’s latest update, the parties have ironed out the final details, with the versatile midfielder set to continue his career in the Middle East.
Though Roma had initially hoped to close the deal at €15m, they’ve slightly lowered their demands. Undisclosed add-ons could compensate for the gap. Meanwhile, Aouar has quickly agreed on personal terms with Al-Ittihad only a couple of weeks after turning 26.
Aouar’s move to the Saudi Pro League earns Roma a significant profit. The Italians signed the Lyon youth academy graduate as a free agent last summer after his contract at the Groupama Stadium ran out. He was supposed to be the team’s midfield anchor for years to come.
However, Aouar never found his feet at Roma. After his initial struggles under former manager Jose Mourinho, he continued to struggle under Daniele De Rossi. A lack of form and niggling injury problems restricted the French ace to only 25 appearances across all competitions.
Selling Aouar will help Roma recoup a portion of their investment as they forked out €25m to sign Enzo Le Fee from Rennes earlier this week. As for Aouar, he hopes to revive his faltering career in the desert. At 26, he’s entering his peak, and it’s disappointing to see him leave Europe this early.
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |