Roma have opened talks with Porto to sign Sergio Oliveira on loan. The Giallorossi have been searching for a midfielder since last summer, and he was already among the options. He has the same agent as José Mourinho.
According to Sportitalia and Il Tempo, Roma will offer a €1.5M initial fee plus a €15M option to buy. The parties could reach agreement in short order, Portuguese newspaper SIC reports. The Giallorossi might add €3M add-ons to the package.
Mourinho suggested yesterday that they would try to sign two players in January. They have struck a deal with Arsenal for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who will take the medicals today. Therefore, the Roma management could switch the focus to the midfield and inquired with Porto about the 29-year-old.
Oliveira is under contract until 2025, but his role has been more inconsistent this season. He has often come off the bench. He was close to joining Fiorentina in the previous window. The collapse of the move was one of the reasons that led to the abrupt partying of the ways with Gennaro Gattuso.
Before pursuing the Porto midfielder, Roma have been linked to Boubacar Kamara and Florian Grillitsch. However, the competition for the Olympique Marseille starlet is fierce. He will probably wait until the summer to pick his next destination on his own at the end of his contract. Moreover, Hoffenheim are demanding a not-so-small fee for their centerpiece even though he is on an expiring deal. The Giallorossi would rather postpone any major expense to July.