Stuttgart winger Jamie Leweling could return to Roma's transfer plans in January after the German club reportedly lowered their asking price for him to €30 million, down from the figure Roma offered before the summer window closed. According to Bild, Stuttgart intend to raise funds in the next transfer window following an expensive summer of signings, and Leweling is among the players they are prepared to sell.
Roma had been close to signing the 2001-born player last summer, when they offered €30 million plus €5 million in bonuses. Before that, Roma had first tried a loan with an option to buy. Everton also pushed hard, with an overall proposal worth €43 million. In the end, Leweling chose to stay in Germany, and both moves collapsed. The player's decision has not yet paid off on the pitch: this season he has scored two goals and provided one assist in 14 appearances, well short of his output in the previous campaign, when he was one of Stuttgart's key players. That is why the club may now consider a sale on less demanding financial terms.
Leweling fits the profile Gasperini has identified for the attack: a player with pace, physical strength and the ability to attack space. Those qualities are currently lacking in the Giallorossi squad, and the head coach hopes to address that in the next window. Roma, however, must work within the financial constraints of the UEFA settlement agreement. Sporting director D'Amico appears to favour loan deals with a buy option, which could become an obligation, rather than the permanent transfer Stuttgart may be looking for. D'Amico is also considering other attacking options, including Endrick and Gittens.
For now, no new contacts between the two clubs have been reported to reopen negotiations. The lower price is a potentially favourable factor, but further developments will be needed before Roma's interest in Leweling can become concrete. Much will depend on the player's willingness and on the conditions Stuttgart are prepared to accept.
Testo Originale / Source Text
“Jamie Leweling potrebbe tornare d’attualità per il mercato di gennaio della Roma. L’esterno tedesco, a lungo inseguito da Tony D’Amico nelle ultime ore della sessione estiva, era stato vicinissimo al trasferimento nella Capitale prima che fosse lo stesso giocatore a frenare l’operazione. Adesso,…”
Read the full article in Italian at GialloRossi.net.