Roma are making progress in their lengthy search for a new midfielder. The Giallorossi have stepped up their efforts to sign Florian Grillitsch. The negotiation between the parties has yet to be finalized, but he is now the clear frontrunner in their long list of targets.
The 26-year-old has only a few months left on his contract and desires to leave Hoffenheim after seven years. He has accumulated 145 appearances with his current club, scoring 8 goals and providing 11 assists. He also has 33 caps with Austria.
Grillitsch possesses the traits the Giallorossi are seeking in the role. He has experience, but he is not too old and is versatile. Moreover, he has low wages and is available for a reasonable fee. Roma are mulling over offering €5/6M to acquire the midfielder, Calciomercato.com reports.
José Mourinho also indicated Marc Roca and Harry Winks as strong options. But the contacts to sign Grillitsch have intensified in the last few days, Tuttomercatoweb reports. Another name that emerged recently is Lucas Tousart. Hertha Berlin purchased him for €21M from Lyon two years ago, but he did not fully pan out. They are looking to move him for about half of such sum and are open to an option to buy, Corriere dello Sport reports.
Instead, Denis Zakaria, the first midfielder Roma pursued after the summer, remains a challenging objective. Borussia Moenchengladbach wants €8/10M despite his expiring deal. In addition, he prefers transferring to the Premier League or reuniting with his former coach Marco Rose at Dortmund.