Out-of-favour forward Justin Kluivert could have a second chance at Roma unless the club finds him a buyer in the next couple of months. According to Calciomercato, the Giallorossi have set a €15m price tag on the Dutch winger.
After an uninspiring season-long loan at RB Leipzig in 2020/21, Kluivert spent last season at Nice. He logged 27 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring four goals and assisting five. But it proved insufficient to earn him a permanent stay at the Allianz Riviera.
Kluivert has returned to Roma this summer. However, a veil of mystery surrounds his future at the Stadio Olimpico. Jose Mourinho’s plans for the 23-year-old are not clear yet. But Nicolo Zaniolo’s potential departure could throw the ex-Ajax man a lifeline in Rome.
Roma dashed out €18.75m to sign Kluivert in 2018. Despite swapping Amsterdam for Serie A as one of Europe’s hottest young talents, he has flopped in Italy. During his two maiden Serie A seasons, he managed just five goals from 53 appearances.
Two years on, Kluivert is on the fringes of Mourinho’s squad. He will train with the rest of the team during the off-season. And that will be his best opportunity to convince the Special One to give him the benefit of the doubt.
But the club’s initial decision was to cut him loose. A lack of suitors could hinder those plans, though. Monaco and Marseille were linked with an interest in Kluivert earlier in the summer. Yet, speculation about the Dutchman’s stay in Ligue 1 has subsided since.