It appears things are moving forward in AS Roma’s quest to sign Jan Vertonghen this summer, as the Belgian runs down his contract at Tottenham.
The 33-year-old will be a free agent in the coming months, and with Chris Smalling expected to now return to Manchester United, the Serie A side have turned their attention to the former Ajax player to bolster their defence.
It was reported on Tuesday that Roma were using Franco Baldini to try and convince him to choose the Serie A side over other offers for next season, and it appears to be working.
Corriere dello Sport have an update on the situation, explaining that while Vertonghen is in the process of ‘making a decision on his future’, Roma are ‘among the favourites’.
He might earn less (Roma have put €3m/year on the table compared to his current €5m), but they can guarantee him regular football ahead of next year’s Euros, which is expected to be his final international tournament.
This falls in line with what Calciomercato are reporting as they state Paulo Fonseca’s side will ‘certainly’ not meet his current wage demands, meaning he will probably have to consider a pay cut if he is to move to a different league.
It’s certainly good news for the Italian club, but they still have a lot of competition to overcome, as many sides know what someone like Vertonghen could bring to their squad, even if it is for a season or two.
