James Pallotta: Roma won’t sell Chelsea targets Miralem Pjanic and Radja Nainggolan

pjanic-nainggolan
pjanic-nainggolan

Italian giants Roma haven’t given up on hopes of finishing second in the Serie A which will guarantee them an automatic place in the group stages of the Champions League next season.

A lot of noise has been going on about Roma’s potential transfer moves, with several Giallorossi players have been linked with a big-money move to top Premier League clubs this summer.

Roma’s midfield duo – Miralem Pjanic and Radja Nainggolan – both have been linked with a move to Chelsea in the summer.

The English press are pretty convinced that a deal for Nainggolan has taken place already. According to reports from the Mirror, Chelsea have agreed on a transfer for the Belgian midfield maestro. A deal has taken place with the club, the player and his representatives.

The Blues reportedly are paying £28m for Nainggolan, who has agreed to sign a five-year-contract at Stamford Bridge. However, Roma have denied such reports, with club president James Pallotta remaining firm on his decision to not sell two of his best players.

“I already said that we won’t sell Pjanic and Nainggolan. I still want to see them with Roma’s jersey,” said Pallotta in an interview to Gazzetta dello Sport.

Chelsea’s new manager Antonio Conte is thought to be an admirer of Roma’s highly-rated midfielder Miralem Pjanic and the Italian have reportedly asked the club hierarchy to sanction him a deal for the Bosnian.

Marina Granovskaia, Chelsea’s director, had already spoken to Pjanic’s representativesand the Blues were told to pay £31m, the player’s release clause to take him away from Rome.

It is unlikely that Roma will part ways with both Pjanic and Nainggolan. But, given the club’s parlous financial conditions, the club may have to sell either of them in order to balance the books. It could well happen that the transfer negotiations are currently underway but the club President doesn’t want to disclose it infront of the media.

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