Roma Calciomercato Thread

[kennethlindheim]

Kuffour is a good player but he is old,don't expect him to improve further but still a great signing

[Rosa]

a nice addition.

[Morrison]

Serie A side Roma have confirmed the capture of Bayern Munich defender Samuel Osei Kuffour.

The Ghana international has signed until 2008 after his contract with the German champions expired.

Kuffour, who was also linked with Inter and Juventus, will net £1.4m-a-season – excluding bonuses and image right fees.

"I’ve chosen Roma because I want to enjoy my football," he said after his surprise arrival in Italy last night.

"This is an great club. I turned down more important offers because I want to win things here.

"I’m absolutely delighted that I can now play with champions such as Francesco Totti, Antonio Cassano, Vincenzo Montella and Cristian Chivu."

Kuffour becomes Roma’s second free signing of the summer after the capture of Siena’s Rodrigo Taddei last week.

The stopper will also be joined in Italy by former Bayern teammate Roberto Kovac, who has completed a free move to Juventus.

The signing of Kuffour is now likely to see central defender Matteo Ferrari leave, after a nightmare first campaign at the Stadio Olimpico.

[Morrison]

Roma need only a forward in the summer but who?

maybe cristiano lucarelli (livorno)??

Lucarelli? - Montella
Totti
De Rossi - Perrotta - Taddei
Chivu - Ferrari - Mexes - Kuffour
Curci

[Rosa]

Lucarelli won't leave Livorno for another italian club.

Also we could play with a back 3 (or442) and have mancini on the other side to Taddei (he can play both), provided he doesn't leave us. Infact with 442 then Montella could play off Totti.

[Morrison]

Bolton Wanderers defender Vincent Candela has reportedly agreed a deal to join Udinese.

Candela linked up with The Trotters in January from Roma and made 12 appearances for Sam Allardyce's men.

He was offered a contract to stay at The Reebok Stadium to help the club on their European debut in next season's Uefa Cup.

But reports in Italy have announced that the 31-year-old has reached an accord to join Udinese for their UEFA Champions League challenge next term.

The former France international is understood to have accepted a 12-month deal from Udinese and has shunned the chance to stay in The Premiership.

Meanwhile, Udinese are still at loggerheads with coach Luciano Spalletti, who tendered his resignation earlier in the week.

Spalletti wants to quit the club, despite having a year remaining on his contract, but the Serie A outfit admit no deal has been struck.

Udinese general director Pietro Leonardi said: "We haven't found the agreement with Spalletti and so the contract is valid again."

The coach has been linked with the vacant position at Roma, while Udinese currently want Spalletti to pay up on the remainder of his contract.

[Morrison]

Roma look set to miss out on Ze Roberto after the Brazilian said he wants to remain with Bayern Munich.

The South American has been associated with the capital club after contract talks with the German club hit problems.

But the 31-year-old now believes he will be able to reach an understanding with the Bundesliga champions.

"I think that I can find a compromise with Bayern regarding an extension," he stated. "I’ll therefore remain in Germany."

The former Bayer Leverkusen player, who has also been linked with Inter, is a well-respected midfielder in the European game.

He’s currently on international duty with Brazil, taking part in the Confederations’ Cup.

[Morrison]

Udinese forward David Di Michele is keen on following Coach Luciano Spalletti to Roma this summer.

Spalletti signed for the capital outfit on Friday and the former Reggina starlet would also consider an identical switch.

"Di Michele is a player who has just completed his third successive positive season in Serie A," his agent Stefano Antonelli told Spq Radio.

"As a result, he also recently wore the Italian national shirt for the first time.

"David is now a mature player and has the ability to take on an adventure with a big club. He has numerous offers open to him, some very important."

Roma have been linked with the versatile attacker and Di Michele would welcome a return to the city of his birth.

"He would find it hard to turn down Roma seeing as he is a Roman," continued Antonelli.

"The Giallorossi are building a great team for the future and that would be an ideal destination.

"Udinese are examining various offers and Roma are certainly interested in him. They have a number of players that they can offer Udinese in any deal."

However, a swoop for Di Michele may depend on whether Juventus target Antonio Cassano leaves the Olimpico.

"I’m sure that Spalletti would have asked for numerous Udinese players," continued the representative.

"David Pizarro is one and my client is another if the club decide to sell Cassano. Anything can happen."

[kennethlindheim]

I really like this guy,he scores a lot of beautiful goals.

[Rosa]

I wouldn't say no

[Morrison]

Roma have joined the long queue forming for Lecce’s highly-rated midfielder Cristian Ledesma.

The 22-year-old has impressed at the Stadio Via Del Mare over the last two seasons and the Giallorossi are the latest to show an interest.

"Ledesma is being watched by Juventus, Inter, Fiorentina but now also Roma," his agent D'Ippolito said.

"However, the transfer market is blocked at the minute because of the Alberto Gilardino and Antonio Cassano situations."

Roma are looking for a new central midfielder after they were also associated with Udinese’s David Pizarro.

The Argentine is one of the most promising players in Italian football right now, following his move to Lecce from Boca Juniors in 2001.

He was linked with a switch to Milan last summer, while Juventus reportedly made an unsuccessful January bid for his services.

[Morrison]

Messina defender Alessandro Parisi has revealed that he would be tempted by a move to Roma.

The full-back has been a revelation for the Sicilian outfit this season, helping them to a fantastic seventh place finish in Serie A.

And his good form hasn’t got unnoticed in the Italian capital.

“It would be beautiful for me to play for Roma - it is a great club and a great squad,” Parisi stated.

“Even though I’m very much tied to Messina and Sicily, I would give serious consideration to the offer from such a high-profile squad”

Juventus have also been touted as a possible destination for Parisi, who made the breakthrough into Marcello Lippi’s Azzurri squad this season.

The Bianconeri even took the 28-year-old on their end of season tour of Japan.

[Morrison]

Diego Placente’s agents are in the Capital to discuss the Bayer Leverkusen defender’s move to the Giallorossi.

Reports suggest that representatives Bolotnikoff and Franchi are inside the Trigoria training ground for negotiations that could reach a positive conclusion before the end of the evening.

Left-back Placente had long been linked with Roma, but is now a free agent after his contract with Leverkusen expired.

It’s believed he has been offered a three-year deal worth £600,000 per season, whereas Placente is holding out for £1m each term.

Argentine international Placente had also been suggested as a potential transfer target for Manchester United, Milan, Juventus and Chelsea.

If he puts pen to paper, he will be the fourth free agent Roma have captured over the last month after Monaco’s Shabani Nonda, Rodrigo Taddei of Siena and Bayern Munich defender Samuel Kuffour.

---

Nonda - Montella
Totti
De Rossi - Perrotta - Taddei
Placente - Chivu - Mexes - Kuffour
Curci

good starting XI...

[Rosa]

pas mal

[Morrison]

David Pizarro has confirmed his desire to join Luciano Spalletti at Roma, while the club is also in talks for Brazilian midfielder Ricardinho.

“David was already interested in joining the Giallorossi before, let alone now that Spalletti is in charge,” explained his agent Fernando Hidalgo.

The Chilean midfielder has also been linked with Juventus and Inter over the last six months, but seems to have set his heart on the Stadio Olimpico.

“Udinese know that he wants to leave. As soon as a concrete offer is received, we will go to the directors and put pen to paper. Roma are without a shadow of doubt his preferred option.”

Pizarro is not the only South American who is of interest to the Giallorossi, as reports suggest they are in negotiations for Ricardinho.

The 29-year-old Santos midfielder is considered to be a perfect replacement for Emerson and already has an EC passport. His price-tag is £4.4m, but Roma face competition from Real Madrid and Turkish outfit Fenerbahce.

Talks are also continuing with Diego Placente, who is out of contract from Bayer Leverkusen. The 28-year-old left-back’s agents have been in the city since Friday and it’s believed the final details will be whittled down on Monday.

Completing this signature quickly is an imperative, as there is the possibility that FIFA will impose a ban on Roma’s overseas transfer activity as a result of the Philippe Mexes saga. If their appeal against Auxerre’s protest is not successful, this could stop them signing new players for a year.