While risking ruining a phenomenal summer with Paulo Dybala’s exit, Roma are close to offloading another first-team player. According to Fabrizio Romano, out-of-favor defender Marash Kumbulla is on the verge of joining Espanyol on a season-long loan.
Roma and Espanyol found a breakthrough on Friday, with the Albanian center-back already on his way to Spain. With the final details sorted out, the transfer is a mere formality. The only thing that’s missing is Kumbulla’s medical, but that should be a routine check.
Kumbulla lost his place at Roma following a long-term injury. He wasn’t part of Jose Mourinho’s plans, and nothing changed upon Daniele De Rossi’s arrival last January. The former Hellas Verona man spent the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan at Sassuolo.
But after failing to protect their Serie A status, the Neroverdi decided against taking up a buyout option. As a result, Kumbulla returned to Roma earlier this summer, but only temporarily. He’s ready to embark on a new chapter in La Liga with Espanyol.
It’s the first time in the Roma flop’s senior career that he will ply his trade outside Serie A. Espanyol secured a top-flight return under the guidance of Manolo Gonzalez last term. Keen to avoid a quick relegation, they’ve been active in the market this summer.
Kumbulla is the latest player to move to Catalonia. His departure means Roma could pursue another defender late in the summer, especially considering it’s the only area of the squad they’ve failed to reinforce these past couple of months.
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