Roma did not manage to acquire a new midfielder in the summer despite pursuing a few players. Strengthening the position will remain a priority in January. Granit Xhaka is no longer a viable option since he penned an extension with Arsenal. The Giallorossi are now insistently chasing after another Swiss international: Denis Zakaria.
Roma are trying to agree to personal terms with the 24-year-old, Sky Sport reports. His contract with Borussia Moenchengladbach is up in June 2022. Should they manage, they will open talks with the German club to see if they could sign him for cheap in the next window. Otherwise, they will focus their efforts on getting him in a Bosman move next summer.
José Mourinho has already okayed the move as he is eager to add somebody that combines technical and physical skills. Roma have mostly been relying on Jordan Veretout and Bryan Cristante, while Ebrima Darboe had his first two good showings right before the second international break. Instead, last season’s standout Gonzalo Villar has almost completely fallen out of favor.
Due to his characteristics and frame, Zakaria has drawn comparisons with Patrick Vieira. He joined Borussia Moenchengladbach in 2017 from Young Boys in a €12M transfer. He has collected 128 appearances over the last 4 seasons, bagging 9 goals. The midfielder has been a regular with his national team too, as he has garnered 37 caps and hit the net 3 times. At the moment, he is squarely the top target for Roma in the role, the publication adds.