Roma are having big trouble signing a young striker, while the negotiation to bring in Duvan Zapata figures to be relatively easy. He wasn’t their top option during a tumultuous summer, but he’s currently the closest to joining.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the Colombian would meet José Mourinho’s requests. He wants a proven marksman already familiar with Serie A. The Special One would have preferred Alvaro Morata or Marko Arnautovic, but he’d settle for the Bergamaschi staple.
Roma are trying to add Zapata by disbursing as little as possible. Atalanta demanded a €3M initial fee for the loan and a €6/7M conditioned obligation to buy plus add-ons. The final package should amount to €8/10M. La Dea wants to make sure the transfer becomes permanent.
Mourinho had previously shown appreciation for the Colombian international in some off-the-cuff remarks during the past season while lamenting their lack of experience up front. The 32-year-old has made 282 appearances in Serie A, scoring 108 goals and providing 47 assists.
Our Take on Roma and Zapata
It would be an uninspiring purchase, and his physical frailty would be a giant question mark for a team that is rarely the picture of perfect health, but it’d still be better than nothing, provided they find a starlet as well. He’s very available, unlikely some of their other marks.
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