Timing is seemingly never in Roma’s favor. From titles lost in the waning weeks of the season to missed transfer targets and those that simply took too long, the annals of Roma history are packed with what-ifs and just-misses. So while today’s news that Zeki Çelik spurned Roma in favor of Juventus was surprising, the shock stems more from the timing of the move and the opportunity cost it carries.
Çelik is a fine player who provided value to Roma, but he is by no means irreplaceable. However, with the club operating under the assumption that he would return to the fold this season, Sporting Director Tony D’Amico is in a bit of a bind. While he’s busy hammering out deals for Crysencio Summerville and Nicolo Tesoldi, among others, he must now add a new and unexpected item to his shopping list: right wing-back.
But fear not. While we wait for the dust to settle on Zeki Çelik’s shock move to Juventus, Roma is reportedly already lining up potential replacements for their friend-turned-enemy.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the first name on D’Amico’s wishlist is Atletico Madrid’s Nahuel Molina, who is busy prepping for Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain. Molina, 28, has a proven track record in Europe. Since setting foot on the continent in 2020, Molina has amassed 19 goals and 23 assists in all competitions for Udinese (2020-2022) and Atletico Madrid (2022-present).
With only one year left on his Atletico contract, Nahuel should be a cost-effective signing for the Giallorossi. The only quibble with this potential transfer, as with the previous target, Dodo Cordeiro dos Santos of Fiorentina, is that they’re both exclusively right-backs, meaning Wesley França would continue playing on the left. Not a deal breaker by any means, but not ideal either.
I suspect we’ll see more traction on this story (and likely a few new names to ponder) after Sunday’s final, but at least Roma is taking the initiative to move on quickly from Çelik.
